


Witching Hour Revisited

by Orithain



Series: Sinful [7]
Category: The X-Files
Genre: F/M, M/M, Multi, Threesome - F/M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-18
Updated: 2016-12-18
Packaged: 2018-09-09 08:53:21
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 22,600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8884705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Orithain/pseuds/Orithain
Summary: A night out and memories of how Mulder got together with each of his lovers.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted April 2000.

"I want to do something special for Valentine's Day," Mulder announced suddenly.

Sin and Alex looked up from the paperwork they were completing for their last case. "What did you have in mind?" Alex asked curiously. He and Sin watched with bemusement as Mulder actually blushed and mumbled something.

"What?" Alex was really curious now.

"I said that I want the three of us to go back to that club, Witching Hour."

Sin and Alex grinned. "Really?"

"Yes. It was... interesting."

"You mean hot," Alex interjected.

Mulder glared. "Whatever. Do you want to go or not?"

"Hell, yeah!" Alex laughed, and Sin nodded. "But this time, _I_ get to choose the clothes."

Mulder winced but nodded, and the subject was dropped until the following Monday, Valentine's Day. Mulder had been antsier than usual at work that day, excited about the night ahead, and Scully had finally chased him out around 3:30.

"Go on, go home, Mulder," she'd said in exasperation, pushing him toward the door. "You're worse than useless here. All you're doing is distracting me, too."

Mulder'd mumbled an apology and gone. Now, staring at his reflection, he was more nervous than ever. Alex had dressed the three of them in matching, skintight, black leather outfits made up of lace-up pants with an abbreviated bustier for Sin and studded straps criss-crossed over their chests for the men. There were studded collars as well, but Mulder had vetoed those.

"No way," he said emphatically. "I like being able to get at your throats. You moan so nicely when I do."

Alex and Sin chuckled, very familiar with Fox's oral fixation. "Do you have any idea," Alex demanded, "how difficult it is to be taken seriously by terrorists, etc. when I have a huge hickey on my throat?"

Mulder just looked at him like a whipped puppy, lower lip quivering and all big hazel eyes, and Alex caved. He muttered something about it being ridiculous for a grown man to give in that easily, but Mulder just smirked at him. When Alex glared, Fox kissed him, and suddenly Alex didn't mind that Mulder almost always got his way. Sin just giggled, having been on the receiving end of one of Mulder's pouts often enough herself.

Alex pulled away slightly and held out a hand to Sin, drawing her to stand in front of him. Eyeing the matching outfits and identical, tri-tone earrings they always wore except when he was working, Mulder shook his head.

"Is there some reason we look like a matched set?"

"You mean aside from the fact that we are?" Alex asked, then held up his hands in self-defense against the dirty look Fox gave him. "Okay, okay, no need to get violent. You nearly got yourself claimed last time, and I just wanted to make sure it doesn't happen again."

"It's not like I'd actually go with them," Fox protested.

"Some of these people can be very determined. You wouldn't want me to have to kill someone, would you?" Alex said, his jealousy flaring momentarily.

Mulder blinked and subsided. It still surprised him sometimes when Alex or Sin got possessive of him. It wasn't like he looked like them.

Alex and Sin could tell what he was thinking and barely restrained sighs of disbelief. It continually amazed them that Fox could be so oblivious of his own attractions. They were just grateful that no one had snapped him up before they got the chance. Not that Scully hadn't tried, but Fox was so damn clueless he'd never even realized that her feelings were anything other than sisterly.

After a last glance in the mirror to check their appearance, they left for the club, looking forward to some fun. It was a bit late when they got there, so the tables were already staked out. A group of three young women took one look at Alex and Fox, though, and immediately offered to share their table. With a glance at Sin to see that she was amused rather than angered by being ignored, Alex accepted the invitation, and the three of them sat down.

Not even acknowledging Sin's presence between the two men, the girls started flirting with Alex and Fox, trying to impress them.

"I haven't seen you here before," one of them simpered at Alex, fluttering heavily made up lashes at him.

Alex eyed her. "No, I don't like to share these two very often, but we were in the mood for some fun."

The girl blinked in surprise, suddenly realizing that they were a threesome, not just three friends out together. Sin wondered how much more obvious they could have made it but didn't bother to comment on the girls' obtuseness. She could understand how looking at Alex and Fox could make them ignore the signs in hopes of getting one of them.

One of the girls wasn't so quick to give up hope. She leaned forward, flaunting her cleavage at Alex, who sat across from her. "I like fun, gorgeous. Wanna play?"

Alex just stared at her, wondering how she could possibly imagine that he'd dump Fox or Sin, let alone both of them, for her. Mulder started to find it less amusing now that Alex was the focus, and his possessive streak rose up. He slung one arm along the back of the booth, pulling both Alex and Sin closer to him, and glared at the girl. "Back off," he snapped. "He's taken."

"God," she moaned, staring at the two of them, still somehow managing to ignore Sin between them, "what a waste."

" _I_ don't think so," Sin stated, finally speaking up. The three girls looked at her in surprise.

"What are you," one of them sneered, "the mascot?"

Sin shook her head pityingly. "Envy can be so ugly. Be thankful you get to look at them." Then it was her turn to ignore the young women as she focused her attention on Fox. "It's your night, Fox. Do you want to dance for a while or go downstairs now?"

Fox chewed on his lower lip as he thought about it, unaware that everyone's eyes were focused on him now. "Anticipation is fun," he finally decided. "Let's stay up here for a while."

"Let's dance, at least," Alex asked, wanting to touch them.

"Definitely."

They moved out onto the dance floor, the three girls already forgotten, Alex and Sin placing Fox between them by mutual, unspoken consent. Alex danced behind Mulder, his hands on his hips and his cock pressed against his ass. Sin danced facing Fox, her arms draped around his neck and their bodies tight together. The three of them moved together sensually, the beat of the music pulsing through them, and a space cleared around them as people watched them.

Gradually the others in the club turned their attention back to their own partners when it became clear that the trio wasn't interested in gaining any playmates or sharing, though not without an occasional wistful glance in their direction. They danced together through four more songs before Alex gave in to the urge to cause a little excitement.

As one song ended, he drifted away from Fox, letting the crowd sweep him over to the other side of the dance floor where people hadn't been able to see the three of them. He stopped in front of a big guy, leather-clad and dripping with chains, and he looked up coquettishly through his lashes. The big biker took one look at what he thought was someone's boytoy dumped for something new, though he couldn't imagine what could be prettier, and he pulled Alex against his chest. He cupped Alex's ass in one meaty paw, and Alex had a hard time holding back his grin.

 _I may be out of practice, but I've still got it. Gee, I wonder if Fox would let me keep him? Every boy needs a pet._ Alex snickered and turned it into a cough to hide it. He slid his hands up the hairy chest and smirked when the guy shuddered. "What's your name, big guy?" he cooed, hamming it up and wondering if he was giving himself cavities. _The things I do for you to push your buttons, Fox! I hope you appreciate it._ He choked back another laugh, knowing full well that Fox was going to be totally pissed when he saw him.

"Lance," was the rumbled response, and Alex had to bite the inside of his cheek hard to hold back a scream of laughter. He petted the guy's groin with a vacuous smile.

"Ooohhh yeah, baby, it sure is," he purred.

Lance pulled Alex closer, rubbing his groin obscenely against Alex's in what he fondly believed to be an irresistible move. Alex wondered if he should offer to give him lessons in what was sexy, but he cuddled against the guy, rubbing his cheek against his chest. He linked his arms behind Lance's neck and backed away slightly, pulling him out onto the dance floor.

"I wanna dance," he pouted, batting his eyelashes at his unsuspecting victim. Lance had no more resistance to that look than anyone else Alex had ever used it on, and they were soon in the middle of the dance floor.

Across the room, it hadn't taken Fox very long to notice Alex's defection, and Sin laughed when he pointed out their lover's absence.

"I just know he's stirring up trouble," Mulder groaned, peering around suspiciously, trying to catch a glance of his missing partner.

"Of course," Sin agreed with a giggle. "He's Alex."

Mulder started to reply but stopped in mid word, his mouth hanging open and his widening eyes fixed on something over Sin's shoulder. Curious, she turned around to see what had caught his attention, knowing that Alex had to be involved somehow, but even she was taken aback by the sight that met her eyes.

Alex was engulfed in the embrace of a veritable bear of a man, dancing with him in the middle of the dance floor, or maybe his actions could better be described as foreplay. Even as they watched, Alex's hand reached between the guy's legs and stroked his cock, humping one of his legs at the same time. Mulder started to see red when one of the asshole's hands wormed inside Alex's pants to stroke his butt.

"If that damned Sasquatch doesn't kill the fucking cocktease, I will!" Mulder snarled, stalking toward the writhing pair. Sin followed, wondering what the hell Alex thought he was doing. This guy was _not_ going to be happy about being led on and then left high and dry, and he looked big enough to do some serious damage.

"Alex!" he snapped, coming to a halt directly behind his lover and glaring at the hand in his pants.

Alex grinned over his shoulder, and Lance frowned at the interruption. "Get lost," he growled.

Fox snarled at him. "You're pawing my property."

Lance's arms tightened around Alex. "Hey, if you were fool enough to let him get away, that's your tough luck." He eyed Sin, who was holding one of Fox's arms, hoping to prevent a murder. "Doesn't look like you done too bad for yourself anyhow."

Mulder actually growled. "I did not _let_ him get away. Hell, he doesn't even _want_ to get away. What he wants is to drive me insane!"

Alex chuckled, twisting away from Lance easily and draping himself over Fox. He nibbled on Mulder's chin, ignoring the increasingly ferocious frown on Lance's face. "Come on, baby, you know I don't want to drive you crazy... except with wanting me, of course."

Mulder's hands clenched on Alex's arms, and he wrenched him back, forcing some space between them. "And did you bother to ask this guy if he wanted to play your little games?"

Alex shrugged. "I let him touch me, didn't I?"

A rumble like the start of an earthquake came from Lance at that, and he grabbed Alex's arm. Instantly, Alex pulled free, spinning around to face him, and the assassin had suddenly replaced the pampered, useless rentboy. Lance actually flinched away from him, startled by the transformation. Cold, wary green eyes measured then dismissed him, and Alex settled back against Fox. This time Mulder held him close, his hand stroking over the flesh Lance had touched, reclaiming what was his.

Mulder drew Alex away, and they started dancing again, all over each other, while Lance stared after them, wondering what the hell had just happened. Sin watched him for a moment, then spoke up, startling him.

"We'll be going downstairs soon, and you're welcome to watch if you want. Alex owes you at least that much."

Lance stared at her, trying to figure out where she fit into this. He'd thought the other guy had been using her the way Alex had used him, but it didn't sound like it.

Sin sighed. "He actually owes you a lot more than that, but I'm afraid that's the best you're going to get. We're not into sharing." She headed for Alex and Fox, adding over her shoulder, "But like I said, you're welcome to watch. Fox is pretty pissed, so he'll probably make Alex give you a good show if you're interested." She reached the two men, who each wrapped one arm around her, pulling her close so they could move together.

Lance wandered away, shaking his head, but he made a note to head downstairs a little later and check them out.

~*~*~

About half an hour later, Mulder glanced over toward the stairway, then back to his companions. Alex chuckled softly.

"Ready to go play, babe?"

Mulder eyed him, still a bit irritated by his game with Lance earlier. He knew Alex had only been teasing, but he had _not_ enjoyed seeing someone else's hands on his lover. "Yeah," he drawled. "I have plans for you."

Alex paused, glancing back at Fox in surprise. Maybe he'd gone too far with Lance? He grinned. Naw, it would just add a little spice to the evening. "Well, then, let's go. I wouldn't want you to forget anything." He headed for the stairs, hips swaying a little more than necessary to fix Mulder's attention on him.

"Oh, don't you worry," Mulder mumbled, "I'm not going to forget a single detail. And neither will you." He stalked after Alex, not wanting to let him get out of sight. Who knew what new chaos he might generate?

Sin followed behind, grinning widely. This ought to be interesting. Despite his best efforts, Alex had never managed to get Fox this far out of control before. By the time she got downstairs, Mulder had already pushed Alex into one of the alcoves and had him pinned up against a wall as he kissed him.

"You were lucky to find a vacant room right away," she said in surprise.

Alex grinned over Mulder's shoulder at her. "We didn't. But the people who were in here recognized us from last time and gave us the room. They said they'd have more fun watching us anyway."

Sin laughed.

"Well, they may have fun, but you won't," Mulder growled, then sighed. "At least not for a while," he added, knowing that he wouldn't be able to leave Alex hanging once he calmed down. But that was later. Right now he was going to punish Alex and try to get it through his head that he couldn't do things like that. He reached up, pulling one of Alex's wrists up and securing it in a restraint attached to the wall, then did the same with the other wrist.

He smirked at Alex, who only looked aroused by the situation. "Now, baby, you're going to be punished for what you did."

Alex moaned softly, still grinning. "What are you going to do to me?" He began to get a bit uneasy at the evil grin that appeared on Mulder's face.

"Not a damn thing, lover," Fox whispered. "And you're gonna watch."

Alex looked confused, and Sin curled up on the bed, settling in to watch the show. She was content to wait and let Mulder take charge for a while. Actually, considering how angered he'd been by Alex's actions, she didn't think she could stop him if she wanted to.

Mulder looked around, a twisted grin appearing on his face when he spotted the guy Alex had been teasing upstairs. He nodded toward the man, quietly asking Alex what his name was. Once Alex replied, he called out to him.

"Lance! Hey, Lance!" The man turned in surprise at hearing his name, a surprised look flashing across his face when he saw who was calling him and noticed Alex manacled to the wall behind him. He approached warily, remembering how possessive Alex's boyfriend had been when they met.

Fox grinned at him, then whispered something in his ear that made a huge grin appear on his face. He pulled back, looking a question at Mulder, who nodded.

"Okay," he said, unable to control his grin. "I'll play along. What do you want me to do?"

Fox licked his lips and smiled up at him. "Well, you could start by kissing me," he suggested, ignoring the yelp of protest behind him.

Lance smiled happily. "My pleasure." As he spoke, his hands curved around Fox's hips, and they kneaded there like the paws of a contented cat as he kissed Mulder, tongue stroking over every inch of his mouth. Mulder was pleasantly surprised by the coaxing, sensual nature of the kiss, having expected to be ravished. Lance released his mouth with a final lick over the pouting lips, smiling at his expression of surprise.

"Everyone expects me to be a brute because I'm so big, but I like my partner to enjoy things as much as I do," he explained.

Mulder looked a little shamefaced and kissed him in apology. Lance pulled him flush against his body, accepting the kiss and deepening it, slowly stroking Fox's body, caressing his back and ass. They were startled by the sound of snarling and chains clanking behind them as Alex fought to get free, enraged by the sight of another man kissing his Fox.

Mulder smirked at him. "Something wrong, babe? I thought you liked playing with other people?"

Alex froze, staring at him in dismay. "Fox... don't. Please, don't," he begged.

Mulder only raised an eyebrow and turned back to Lance, his arms sliding around his neck as he kissed him again, immersing himself in the sensation of being surrounded by Lance's warmth. Alex moaned, sounding like an animal in pain.

Fox squirmed in Lance's embrace, rubbing their growing erections together, his hands moving restlessly over the hairy chest in front of him.

"Mmmm," he purred, "you feel good. Touch me," he invited, "undress me."

That was one invitation Lance wasn't going to pass up, and he unfastened Mulder's pants, one hand sliding over the engorged cock that sprang free of the tight leather. "Pretty," he approved, petting the growing flesh. "Can I taste you?"

Mulder hesitated, glancing over his shoulder at Alex, who wore an expression of pained misery as he watched Fox and Lance. He wanted to punish the younger man, make him think twice before pulling another stunt like that, but he didn't want to really hurt him. The look in Alex's eyes told him that he was bordering on going too far. He shook his head slightly, having to look away from the expression of dumb gratitude in Alex's eyes when he did. "No, hands only," he stipulated.

With a glance over Fox's shoulder that showed he understood the reason, Lance nodded his acceptance. "Lie down, gorgeous, and let me make you feel good. Hey, what _is_ your name?" he asked, wanting to have something to call the beautiful man in his arms.

Mulder stretched out on the bed, shimmying out of his pants and boots as he did, and grinned up at him. "Fox." He ignored Alex's flinch when he gave this stranger tacit permission to call him by the name no one else used.

"You're shitting me! No way," he laughed when Fox shook his head. "Well, you're certainly well named. You _are_ a fox." Mulder groaned, looking a little uncomfortable. "Guess you've heard all the comments on your name by now, huh Fox? 'Sokay, I won't repeat 'em. Just lie back and let Lance take care of you."

Fox tried hard not to roll his eyes when Lance started talking about himself in the third person. He pulled him down into another kiss to shut him up. He had to admit that the guy really knew how to kiss. He pulled away to groan loudly. Okay, he was damn good at jerking another man off too. Mulder's hips rose up uncontrollably, thrusting into that tight fist that pumped him so exquisitely. A tiny whimper escaped him, and he gave in to the pleasure, not interested in prolonging this encounter. His head lay in Sin's lap, her hands stroking his hair and grounding him as he let the pleasure wash over him, exploding into that talented fist.

Mulder lay panting, trying to catch his breath, eyes closed until he heard a faint sound suspiciously like a sob come from Alex His eyes flew open, and he looked over at his lover, who was staring toward the bed with an expression of total misery. He followed his eyes and saw Lance licking his hand clean. That hadn't been part of Mulder's plan, but considering that he'd just used the guy to get himself off and to teach Alex a lesson, he didn't think he had the right to quibble about details.

He glanced up at Sin and nodded toward Alex. "Would you unchain him and bring him over here?" Sin rose silently and did as asked, leading an unhappy Alex back to the bed where Mulder lay half-covered by a still aroused Lance.

"You owe Lance an apology, Alex," Mulder stated quietly.

Alex stared at the floor mutinously, refusing to speak to the man who'd touched his Fox so intimately, tasted his seed.

"Alex!" Mulder snapped, anger again rising in his tone.

"I'm sorry," Alex said sulkily, barely glancing at Lance for even a second.

Mulder sighed but didn't push it. He'd known that Alex wouldn't react well to his punishment. "You owe him more than that," he said, indicating the other man's still rigid cock. Alex stared at him in horror. Fox couldn't actually expect him to touch the man _now_! He remained motionless, not sure what to do.

Mulder tugged him down onto the bed, rolling out from under Lance as he did. Lance shifted onto his back, his erection tight against his belly and dripping precome. He took Alex's hand in his own and placed it on Lance's cock. "You're not a cocktease, Alex," Fox murmured. "You made some implicit promises, and it's time to pay up."

Alex looked at him in dismay, wondering if Fox expected him to suck the guy off. "How... what?" he asked.

Mulder frowned. It would serve Alex right to have to give Lance a blowjob, but he didn't think he could stand to see Alex's mouth on another man. Just the thought made a low growl rumble through his chest. No, that would be more of a punishment for him than Alex. He could use his hands on Lance. He released the hand he still held on Lance's cock and nodded at it, indicating that he wanted Alex to start. Alex slowly, reluctantly, started to stroke Lance, his own cock soft against his thigh. He worked the man expertly, his face a mask of indifference, and he stared blankly at his moving hand.

Mulder could see that Alex had retreated inside himself, and that defeated the whole purpose of this. If he had to suffer through watching this, Alex was damned well going to experience it too. With that in mind, he started to caress his lover's body, stroking along his spine and down to his ass, probing gently between the cheeks and slowly, carefully, working a finger inside him.

Alex moaned in reluctant pleasure, still stroking Lance. Fox's hands on him, in him, were arousing him, and his own hand sped up on Lance. He squirmed, his own cock rising, unable to remain detached when Fox was touching him. He started to pant, his own pleasure making his hands move jerkily on Lance, who convulsed under his shaking touch, coming hard and covering his hand with semen. Alex released him after milking him of the last of his pleasure, trembling himself now and anxious to come. He was afraid to ask Fox, though, since he had no idea whether Mulder would take care of him or make him let Lance touch him again. He swore to himself never to tease Fox like that again. He'd hated every moment of Fox's punishment.

Mulder could see that Alex was on the brink and, his anger appeased by both the punishment he'd meted out and the pure lust the sight of an aroused Alex raised in him, shifted until he could take Alex's cock in his mouth. He licked the head, drawing a harsh groan from his lover, then sucked him, letting the entire length slide into his mouth.

Alex yelled his name as he came, his hands clenching in Fox's hair. His back arched as he drove himself into Fox's mouth, once and again, his entire body spasming at the release. He curled around Mulder, shuddering with relief when he felt the familiar embrace enfold him. He didn't even notice when Lance rose from the bed, smiled his gratitude at Mulder, and left them alone.

The other spectators drifted away, seeing from Alex's trembling that he needed some time to deal with what had happened. Sin stepped over to the entrance and pulled the curtain closed, ensuring their privacy as long as they wanted it, then climbed back into the bed, wrapping her arms around Alex as well.

Mulder held Alex, who was still shaking in reaction, rubbing his back comfortingly. He was a bit surprised at Alex's reaction. He'd expected the younger man to dislike his punishment, but he was practically falling apart, and Mulder didn't understand why.

Sin saw Fox's expression and realized that he didn't know what the problem was. She spoke Mulder's name softly to get his attention, not wanting to disturb Alex, and held his gaze when he looked at her. Seeing the concern in the worried hazel eyes, she sighed and shook her head. "Alex's biggest fear, maybe his only fear," she explained, "is losing you. Seeing you with someone else made him feel like he had."

Mulder flinched. He'd wanted, needed, to teach Alex a lesson, but he'd never meant to really hurt him.

"Alex? Baby?" He tried to coax his lover into raising his head from where it was tucked beneath his chin. Eventually Alex cooperated, and Mulder scanned his expression worriedly. He was relieved to see that although the green eyes were overly bright, there was no sign of tears shed. He'd made Alex cry once, and he'd promised himself then never to do it again.

"Sounds like there's a story behind that," Sin commented, and Mulder only then realized that he'd said that aloud. He chewed on his lip, not sure how Alex would react if he told the story.

"Go ahead, Fox," Alex urged.

Given permission, Mulder did.

~*~*~

Mulder had spent a lot of time thinking about Krycek since he'd disappeared, seemingly having been in the pay of Cancerman all along. Now that he had Scully back and the doctors were confident that she was going to be fine, Mulder decided to look for his traitorous former partner and get some answers. He was only glad that he'd always remained somewhat suspicious of the too-good-to-be-true green agent and hadn't acted on his attraction to the man.

He enlisted the help of the Lone Gunmen to find Krycek, devoting every free moment that he wasn't with Scully to the search. Months passed and he started to wonder why he was doing this. Scully returned to active duty, and their lives went on almost as if the interlude without the X-files had never happened. So many times Mulder reached for the phone, intending to tell the Gunmen to forget about tracking Krycek. Then he'd remember the wide eyes, and he'd know that he had to find him, had to get some answers.

When Krycek attacked Skinner for the DAT tape and was involved in the deaths of Scully's sister and Mulder's father, Mulder's rage overwhelmed his lingering attraction to the man. He approached the search with renewed vigor, now determined to find and kill the bastard for the misery he'd caused them. But Krycek remained elusive, and it was only when Mulder had pretty much accepted that he wasn't going to be able to find him, despite a few stray encounters and one very strange trip to Tunguska, that he literally stumbled over the man one day.

Wanting a change of scenery, Mulder had chosen to go in a completely random direction for his morning jog, heading off in a direction he'd never gone before. The rhythmic pounding of his feet on the pavement settled his thoughts, and he was able to focus on his current case as he hadn't been able to the previous day. He grew lost in his thoughts, gradually building an image of what had happened to the two teenagers who'd vanished for six weeks and returned thinking it was the same night. His focus on the case was probably the reason why he didn't notice another jogger round a corner from an alley unexpectedly, and they crashed into each other, sending both reeling.

Mulder's attention abruptly snapped back to his surroundings, and mumbling apologies, he reached a hand out to help the other man up from where he'd landed on the ground. The man looked up, dismay clear on his face, and Mulder found himself staring at Alex Krycek.

"You!" he snarled, fingers curling into claws as he grabbed at Krycek's shoulders, intending to haul him to his feet.

"Shit!" Alex scrabbled backward, trying to get to his feet and back away out of Mulder's reach at the same time.

Mulder managed to grab and hang onto him, wondering how he was going to control the other man. He had a gun with him, strapped to his ankle, but he didn't carry cuffs when he was out jogging. Still hanging onto Krycek's arm, he pulled out his gun, pointing it at the other man.

"Try anything - even _look_ like you're thinking of trying to get away - and I _will_ shoot you."

Remembering the night Scully had had to shoot Mulder to prevent him from murdering Krycek, Alex didn't doubt him now. He looked mad enough to do it. Krycek thought that Mulder looked even madder than he had that day at the gulag when he'd believed that Krycek had betrayed him. Deciding to wait for a better opportunity to make his escape - and he never doubted that one would come - Krycek followed Mulder relatively quietly, only objecting enough to avoid arousing the agent's suspicions.

Concealing his weapon, Mulder flagged down a cab and pushed Krycek inside ahead of him, giving his address to the driver.

Krycek looked at him curiously, wondering why he wasn't being taken to the nearest jail. Little did he realize that Mulder was wondering the same thing.

Mulder rationalized that if he were to put Krycek in a prison cell, he'd be killed before the day was out. The only way he was going to get any answers was if he held onto the traitorous bastard. He conveniently forgot that he'd already had days alone with Krycek on their way to and in Tunguska, and the Russian hadn't told him a thing that he hadn't wanted to. On the ride to his apartment, he kept one hand on Krycek's arm, telling himself it was to make sure he didn't try to get away.

They reached Mulder's apartment without incident, and Mulder retrieved his cuffs and restrained Krycek, cuffing his hands together around a leg of his heavy, wooden dining room table to make sure he stayed put. That done, he headed into the kitchen for a beer, then pulled out a chair and sat down, just gazing silently at Krycek.

After several minutes, Krycek started to twitch. "What?" he finally snapped.

Mulder looked back inquisitively.

"Why am I here, and why are you _staring_ at me?" he finished in a yell.

Mulder shocked him by grinning in response. Mulder had finally realized that Krycek was thrown off balance by his atypical actions and that he had the upper hand for a change. He wondered what Krycek would do if _he_ kissed _him_ this time. Seeing the frustrated anger in the younger man's eyes, he decided not to chance it. At least not yet. It had occurred to Mulder that maybe the attraction wasn't quite as one sided as he'd thought. If Krycek _was_ attracted to him, it would explain why Mulder always seemed to win their fights with barely a scratch on him even though the other man was a trained killer. Either way, it didn't seem that Krycek was acknowledging any attraction, so it was going to be up to Mulder to show him the light. He decided that seducing the rat bastard would serve the dual purpose of scratching a years-old itch and giving him a hook into Krycek.

Krycek eyed the slightly malicious smile Mulder wore uneasily. He had no idea what was going on in that wildly convoluted mind just then, but he was pretty sure he wouldn't like it. "Mulder?" he questioned again, more quietly this time.

Keeping his eyes on Krycek but not replying directly to the question, Mulder picked up the phone and dialed a number from memory. "Sir? It's Mulder, sir. I've decided to take everyone's advice and take some time off... No, sir, I'm not planning to break into any more Air Force bases. I thought I'd just take a couple of weeks and relax somewhere quiet. I don't think I've done that since my college days.... Well, sir, you and Scully keep telling me that I need to take a vacation, so that's what I'm doing... Yes, sir, I'll see you in three weeks." He hung up and observed the look of dismay on Krycek's face with satisfaction.

"That's right, Krycek," he said softly, "I'm going to have three uninterrupted weeks to find out all your secrets."

"Scully will never let you hole up here alone for three weeks," Krycek said desperately, grasping at straws.

Mulder nodded. "You're right, of course. So isn't it fortunate that we can go to my family's summerhouse? I know my mother would never go there at this time of year."

 _Shit! That backfired. Then again, it might be easier to get away from him out there. I might as well make the best of it. It's not like I have a whole of a lotta choice right now._ With that in mind Krycek cooperated with Mulder, sitting quietly while Mulder packed, then going along peacefully to the car and allowing Mulder to cuff him to the door handle. Mulder eyed him suspiciously but took advantage of his sudden capitulation to get them on the road as quickly as possible.

~*~*~

Several hours later they were at their destination, and Krycek was finally able to take the shower he'd wanted since his aborted run. His relief at finally being able to clean up was tempered by the fact that Mulder refused to leave him alone in the bathroom. He was aware of the other man's eyes on him every second, and it made him unaccustomedly clumsy. He cursed himself when he dropped the soap, then froze when he heard Mulder's breath draw in sharply as he bent over to retrieve it. He looked over his shoulder, meeting Mulder's eyes through the clear plastic curtain, and he felt his heart jump in his chest at the flash of heat he thought he saw there. He blinked and found himself facing Mulder's usual bland expression and decided it must have been his imagination. He finished his shower quickly and dried off, wrapping the towel around his waist when he was done.

Mulder motioned him into the bedroom and directed him to open the bag Mulder'd packed back at the apartment. He pulled out a pair of sweats and stepped into them, feeling more secure once clothed.

"Sit down on the bed, Krycek," Mulder ordered, still pointing his gun at him as he had from the moment he'd released Krycek from the car.

Alex considered arguing, but he knew it was futile. With a theatrical sigh, he sat down as directed, settling against the headboard. "Now what, Mulder?"

Mulder tossed the cuffs to him. "Now you put those on your right wrist and attach the other end to the headboard." It was made of heavy, solid brass bars, and there was no way Krycek would be able to break free of it. Once that was done, Mulder eyed him, but he decided that leaving a hand free was just asking for Krycek to pick the lock and get away. Fortunately, he had another pair of cuffs, and he'd brought them along with just this in mind.

He carefully put the gun down out of Krycek's reach and moved to the bed, straddling the restrained man to cuff his other arm to the headboard as well. He was careful to let his groin brush lightly against Krycek's, lightly enough that he could claim it was an accident if Krycek called him on it. He had a hard time keeping the smirk from his face when he felt Krycek start to harden beneath him. This might be even easier than he had thought. He glanced at Krycek's stony expression. Then again, maybe not.

Deciding not to push it just then, Fox slithered off of him, rubbing against him as he clambered off the bed. "Nighty night, Krycek." He waved mockingly on his way out the door, then paused in the hallway out of sight. As he expected, after a moment, Krycek tested his bonds and cursed virulently when he found that he was well and truly trapped. Mulder laughed silently as he headed off for his own shower and dinner before going to bed.

~*~*~

The following morning Mulder entered the bedroom under Krycek's sullen gaze, opening the curtains to let the sun brighten the room. He noticed the rings under Krycek's eyes and the way he winced away from the light. "What's wrong, Krycek, didn't you sleep well?" he asked, mock solicitously.

Krycek snarled wordlessly.

"All you have to do is tell me what I want to know, and you can leave here." Mulder enjoyed the sight of Krycek's nipples standing hard in the early morning chill and his morning erection. He had to drag his eyes back to the snapping green eyes and sulky mouth, and he paused to wonder if this had been such a good idea. Despite his hatred, he was still attracted to the rat bastard, and he didn't want this to backfire.

"You know damn well I can't tell you a thing!" Krycek snapped, squirming uncomfortably on the bed.

Mulder tsked and shook his head. "Then this is going to be a long vacation for both of us." He climbed on top of Krycek again, ignoring the moan when he pressed against the fullness at the other man's groin, and unfastened the left cuff from the headboard and refastened it to his right wrist. That done, he released the other cuff and left it dangling from the headboard, then slowly backed off of Alex. Once on his feet again, he waited for Krycek to move.

"Well?" he demanded finally. "Are you just going to sit there all day, or would you rather take a leak and get some breakfast?"

Krycek stared at him in bewilderment. He'd been sure Mulder intended to make him beg for everything, and to have things just given to him left him unsure. He got up slowly, his balance thrown off by the cuffs, then went into the washroom. He was uncomfortable under Mulder's gaze, but he did what he had to. Mulder even offered him a new toothbrush and let him brush his teeth before taking him downstairs to the kitchen. He eyed the man warily, unsure what to expect from moment to moment. Where were the constant questions, the torture he expected?

Mulder moved around the room, preparing a simple breakfast from the food he'd picked up at a store along the way the previous day. He was no cook, but even he could manage scrambled eggs and bacon. He kept one eye on Krycek as he made the meal, then served it up on two plates and sat down opposite the younger man.

Krycek stared at the plate in front of him. Finally he said, "Is this some new form of torture, Mulder? I think I'd rather be beaten."

"I hardly think bacon and eggs qualifies as torture, Krycek."

"Mulder, these eggs are the most disgustingly runny things I've ever encountered, and the bacon is so burnt I think it's petrified!" Krycek looked up as he finished his complaint and encountered Mulder's pout. His eyes fixed on the slightly protruding lower lip, and suddenly bacon and eggs were far down his list of things he wanted to sink his teeth into. When the tip of Mulder's tongue stole out to moisten that lip, a faint moan escaped him.

Hearing it, Krycek realized what he was doing and dragged his eyes away. "Look, Mulder, why don't you let me cook breakfast. No one, not even you, should have to eat your cooking."

"There's nothing wrong with my cooking," Mulder sulked.

Krycek turned a look of disbelief on him. Mulder glared back, but his eyes fell after a moment. The food _did_ look awful. He usually stuck to toaster waffles, take out and fast food restaurants. "Fine," he grumbled. "If you think you can do better, go ahead."

Krycek shook his head and rose to his feet, going over to the fridge. He poked around inside, slightly hampered by the cuffs he was still wearing. Mulder had only gotten the basics and a few weird oddments, but it was enough to throw together a cheese and bacon omelet, lightly seasoned from the spice rack that someone else had clearly filled. When he was done, even Mulder had to admit that his offering looked far more appetizing than what had originally been served.

Krycek grew more and more uneasy as the day wore on and Mulder didn't ask him any questions, didn't try to pry information out of him, didn't call him names or hit him. He didn't know how to deal with Mulder like this, and he had no idea what to expect next. Mulder so often barreled ahead heedlessly that it was easy to forget that he was extremely intelligent and a fully certified psychologist until one found oneself the focus of his head games. Krycek didn't know what Mulder was doing, but he had a feeling that it wouldn't matter if he did.

After one trip to the washroom, Mulder stopped in the bedroom to remove the second set of cuffs and carried them back into the living room where they had been watching a movie. Or at least Mulder had; Krycek had been more concerned with watching Mulder and trying to figure out what he was up to. It was obvious that he was trying to make Krycek relax his guard, but something else was going on.

Mulder stretched out full length on the couch and called Krycek over to him.

Krycek jittered in front of him, not wanting to get that close. "Look, Mulder, this isn't necessary," he said desperately.

"Krycek, I'm on vacation and I want to take a damned nap. But I'll be damned if you're going to disappear while I do, so come here." Mulder's tone grew impatient toward the end, and Krycek considered making a break for it. After all, he hadn't seen the gun yet today. Before he could make a move, Mulder reached out and yanked him forward, tumbling him onto the couch on top of Mulder.

Krycek froze, unsure which way to go, what to do, and Mulder took advantage of his hesitation to shift their position so that Krycek lay spooned in front of him. He snapped the second set of cuffs around his own wrists so that Krycek was held within his grasp. He'd left the key on the nightstand in the bedroom, so there was no way that Krycek could get away from him and get to it without waking him up first. He pulled Krycek more tightly against him, like some giant cuddle toy, and sighed contentedly as his cock nestled between the firm cheeks pressed against him, separated only by two thin layers of cotton.

Krycek lay stiff as a board, the only sound in the room the quiet drone of the TV and soft sound of Mulder's breathing in his ear as he sank into sleep. Krycek tried to keep as much distance between them as possible, but it wasn't possible to hold his entire body rigid for very long. Soon, he had to sink back against the other man, and a faint moan escaped him as he felt Mulder's heat against his back. Soon, the pressure of his ass against Mulder's cock had the inevitable result, and he whimpered desperately as he tried to squirm away.

That was, of course, exactly the wrong thing to do. His movements aroused Mulder even more and, worse, woke him up. Alex could tell the exact moment the other man became aware of the situation, and for a brief instant, he thought Mulder might let him go then as some part of the weird game he was playing. Instead, Mulder's arms tightened around him, and his cock pressed more firmly against his ass.

Alex moaned his denial as Mulder humped his ass through the thin barrier of the sweats they wore, then caught his bottom lip between his teeth when Mulder's hands worked inside his pants and grasped his cock. He was horrified to realize that he was semi-erect, but he couldn't prevent a groan of pleasure when Mulder's knowledgeable fingers stroked him. Even being cuffed didn't slow the man down; one hand pumped Alex's cock in the same rhythm as he pressed his own cock against Krycek's ass, and the other rolled his balls.

By now, Krycek was squirming in Mulder's grip, thrusting into his hand. His mind was a whirlwind of denial and pleasure, but his body knew what it wanted, and he cried out as he came, Mulder's hand continuing to milk him till every last drop of pleasure was wrung from him.

He shook silently in Mulder's arms, desperately denying to himself that the last few minutes had happened, even as Mulder stiffened and buried his face in his neck. Alex shuddered as he felt wetness spread against his ass, and even he couldn't have said whether it was in revulsion or pleasure. His eyes widened and he gasped when Mulder drew his semen-covered hands out of his pants and raised them until he could reach over Alex's shoulder and lick his hands clean.

"Mmmm," Mulder sighed blissfully. "Nice." He had to bite his cheek to hold back a chuckle when a moan of distress escaped Alex. He lowered his hands again, pulling Krycek firmly back against him and allowed himself to doze off again.

Alex, totally unstrung by what had happened, expected to lie there and have a nervous breakdown at the very least, but he shocked himself by falling asleep in Mulder's arms.

~*~*~

When Alex next woke up, it was dark in the cabin, but he could see the gleam of Mulder's eyes as the older man watched him. While they slept, they had shifted until Alex was lying half on top of Mulder, his head pillowed on his chest and one leg draped over both of his. Krycek hastily pulled away as much as he could, still restrained in the circle of Mulder's arms.

"Ready to admit it yet, Krycek?"

"Admit what?" Alex wasn't giving an inch.

"That you want me."

Krycek snorted. "That would be pretty fucking stupid of me, now wouldn't it? Christ, if the Elders thought I looked twice at you, they'd kill me. Weaknesses are not tolerated. So don't waste your time inventing some for me because I don't have any."

"Uh huh." Mulder was clearly unconvinced.

"Fuck you, Mulder!" Alex snarled. "So you can make me come. Anybody can do that; it's just physical. It doesn't mean anything."

"And that's why I woke up with you wrapped around me like ivy, right?"

"I was cold, Mulder. Cold. In case you haven't noticed, you didn't give me much in the way of clothing."

"Oh, I noticed," Mulder leered.

Krycek actually blushed, much to Mulder's amazement. Surely anyone who looked like Krycek had to be accustomed to attention from men and women alike. He gaped at the younger man, who glared at him defensively.

Alex grasped at the shredded remains of his dignity and demanded that Mulder let him go. Of course, he didn't, and Krycek was left staring at him in frustration, gritting his teeth. Mulder stared back for what seemed an eternity, then without warning, kissed him.

Krycek gasped in surprise and Mulder took immediate advantage, his tongue probing between parted lips, stroking over its counterpart, which retreated, only enticing him in farther. He explored the new territory, learning Krycek's taste, and he noted that despite his earlier protests, Krycek wasn't pushing him away. Alex's hands, trapped between them, were clutching fistfuls of Mulder's shirt, holding onto him as he relaxed into the kiss.

Mulder wasn't foolish enough to draw Alex's attention to it, though, knowing that if he did, Krycek would push him away. He kept his hands still on Krycek's back despite his desire to explore that beautiful body. He let his kiss alone distract the other man and keep him in his arms. When Krycek's tongue tentatively stroked his and cautiously began to explore his mouth in turn, Mulder barely restrained a victorious moan. But then Krycek seemed to realize what he was doing, and he jerked his head back to stare at Mulder in dismay.

"Leave me the fuck alone, Mulder!" Krycek demanded, the effect somewhat spoiled by his panting. Mulder also noticed that his tongue traced lingeringly over his lips. Tasting Mulder, perhaps?

Mulder leaned forward for his own quick lick at those glistening, slightly puffy, pink lips. Krycek flinched away, but Mulder had already settled back and was eyeing him speculatively.

Without another word, Mulder sat up, forcing Krycek to do the same. Since they were face to face, Alex ended up straddling Mulder's lap on his knees, trying not to squirm with discomfort. Mulder held him there for a moment, then raised his arms over Krycek's head, releasing him, and Alex shot off his lap.

Mulder glanced down at his lap and plucked at the stiffened cotton with distaste. "Come on, Krycek. We both need to clean up." Mulder paused long enough to unfasten his own cuffs on the way to the shower but left Krycek bound. He did check to make sure Alex's wrists were okay, aside from some inevitable bruising.

Alex flushed when he realized that Mulder intended them to shower together. He stepped under the water reluctantly, flinching when Mulder picked up the soap and started to run sudsy hands over his body.

"I can wash myself, Mulder," he snapped, trying to back away without slipping.

"I'd love to see how you're going to wash your back with your hands cuffed in front of you."

Alex paused. Mulder had a point. "You could uncuff me, you know."

"Not a chance."

"Bastard!"

"Apparently," Mulder replied dryly. "That's one of the things you're going to tell me."

Krycek blinked in surprise, momentarily distracted from Mulder's hands moving over his back and ass. "Wha-- Oh. No, you don't have to worry about that, Mulder. Bill Mulder _was_ your father."

"See, I knew you could answer my questions."

Krycek's mouth snapped shut. He glared over his shoulder, then suddenly realized that Mulder's hands were still on him, were running teasingly over his buttocks and inner thighs, in fact. He twitched away, and Mulder let him go, turning his attention to his own body.

Krycek found himself backed against the shower wall, wide eyes fixed on Mulder's hands. He watched them smooth along long arms and over strong shoulders and a well-defined chest. He licked dry lips when Mulder plucked at a hardened nipple, and he couldn't be sure which of them gasped. Alex began to breathe in quick, breathy gasps when Mulder wrapped a hand around his cock and started to jerk himself off. He couldn't look away from the pale hand tugging at the deeply flushed length. He shuddered as if it were his body Mulder was touching, and he was the one who cried out when Mulder came.

Mulder opened his eyes and focused on the deer-in-headlights expression of the man opposite him. He sank to his knees and slowly trailed his fingers up Krycek's legs, finally grasping his hips and rubbing his thumbs over the soft skin beneath the pelvic bone. He stared into Krycek's eyes the whole time, even as he closed his lips over the head of Alex's cock. He moved slowly, not wanting to startle the man into pulling away. He let out a hum of pleasure when he finally captured his prize in his mouth.

Alex's knees almost buckled at that sensation, and he clutched desperately at Mulder's head as the only stable point in his universe. He whimpered when he felt Mulder's tongue tease at the sensitive spot beneath the ridge, and his hands shook as he combed them through the wet silk of Mulder's hair over and over.

Mulder continued to lick and nip and tease for several minutes, pausing whenever Alex got too close, until he noticed the water starting to run colder. Then he took Alex's entire length, swallowing hard. Krycek nearly screamed when he felt Mulder's throat muscles close around him, and his orgasm exploded through him. It felt as if his entire body had melted down, and he slumped against the wall, slowly sinking down to a sitting position in the bottom of the tub, gasping for air.

Mulder, an incredibly smug grin on his face, turned the water off before it could get any colder and climbed out. He dried off, then held a bath sheet out with open arms, just waiting for Alex to come to him.

Krycek stared up at him for long moments before he wobbled to his feet and stepped out of the tub. He took the single step forward necessary to step into Mulder's embrace and allowed the other man to towel him off. Mulder watched him curiously the whole time, but Alex kept his head down and his eyes firmly averted. Whatever was going on inside his head, he didn't want to share it.

Back in the bedroom, Mulder tossed their soiled sweats in the hamper and handed Alex a heavy velour robe out of the closet. He rummaged around in his pack and came up with a faded and torn pair of old jeans that he'd had for years. He pulled them on, knowing that they were skin tight on him and that Alex was looking at him. He had to hide a smile when he noticed the younger man rearrange his robe slightly. He decided it was his turn to go without a shirt, then thought that it would be fun to really shock the hell out of Krycek. He turned his back to the other man and bent over to get something out of his bag, giving Alex a good, long look at his ass. When he turned around again, Krycek's eyes widened so far Mulder thought they were going to pop right out of his head.

"What is _that_?" he demanded in shocked accents.

"What, this old thing?" Mulder asked breezily, flipping the object in question with a finger. "It's a nipple ring, of course."

"On _you_?" Krycek couldn't have sounded more astounded if someone had told him that seven leprechauns had just delivered seven pots of gold to his front door.

Mulder looked faintly insulted. "Why not on me? Anyhow, I got it done when I was at Oxford. I make sure to wear one often enough to keep the hole from closing up."

Alex stared in utter fascination, one hand reaching out to touch it almost involuntarily. He blushed when he realized what he'd done and snatched his hand back, still staring. Mulder was hard pressed to prevent himself from bursting into laughter.

"Jeez, Krycek, you'd think I was some ancient stuffed shirt or something."

Krycek just looked at him, challengingly. Mulder glared back.

"I am _not_. I happen to be a very happening kinda guy."

"Oh, Mulder!" Alex howled with laughter, exactly the reaction Mulder had been aiming for. He grinned and reached for Alex's wrists, unlocking the handcuffs and tossing them on the dresser. Meeting Krycek's astonished gaze, he shrugged.

"After the shower, if I left 'em on you, you'd rust."

Alex chuckled. Besides, Mulder had the gun...somewhere... and he was only wearing a robe. It wasn't like he was going anywhere, at least not dressed like this as long as Mulder wasn't hurting him. This was almost like a vacation, if he didn't think about Mulder jerking him off or giving him a blowjob.

Alex groaned. Thinking about _not_ thinking about that had been a mistake.

"Looks like you have a problem there, Krycek," Mulder murmured. "Need a hand?" He expected Krycek to get flustered and back away, but instead the other man hesitated a moment, then shrugged out of his robe. Mulder found himself looking at a hardening cock, and it was his turn to reach out.

Mulder cupped the semi-hard flesh in his hand, feeling it lengthen, and slowly stroked, still stunned by Krycek's acquiescence. He moved closer, and Alex reached up to play with the nipple ring that fascinated him. Mulder shivered; it had been a long time since he'd felt that particular sensation, and he'd almost forgotten how good it was. He shifted carefully, making sure not to jostle Alex's hand away, and licked one of Alex's nipples, then suckled strongly. It was Alex's turn to shudder and he tugged sharply at the ring he was playing with, making Mulder moan. Alex's eyes flew open at the sound, and he stared down at Mulder. He slowly released the nipple ring and placed his hands on Mulder's shoulders, just touching him.

Mulder looked up at him, meeting his eyes, then straightened up and drew him over to the bed. He stripped his jeans back off, standing before Alex proudly nude, waiting to see what he would do. Slowly, hesitantly, Alex sat down on the bed and stared up at Mulder silently. Still holding Mulder's gaze, he shifted backward until he was fully on the bed, then lay down. Mulder smiled and stretched out beside him, one hand running over his chest aimlessly, just maintaining contact.

He leaned toward Alex, his head lowering, and Krycek's lips parted in anticipation. They kissed, mouths meeting at first softly, hesitantly, then more aggressively. They probed already familiar territory, enjoying each other's flavor, and Krycek's hand cupped Mulder's neck to pull him closer, hold him still while Krycek took control of the kiss. Control passed back and forth, with occasional pauses for breath filled with nips at chins and cheeks. Gradually, Mulder rolled on top of Alex, writhing against him to excite them both.

Alex tensed up, looking nervous. "Uh, Mulder..." he started.

Mulder stopped him with a finger pressed to his lips. He fumbled around in the nightstand drawer, pulling out a half empty tube of lubricant, and Krycek's eyes widened again. He started to pull away, but he stopped in surprise when Mulder stroked it onto his cock and then reached behind himself. He stared, gasping slightly, as Mulder prepared himself, moaning softly as he stretched himself. After a couple of minutes, Mulder shifted to his knees over Krycek, his hands braced on his chest, and smiled down at him.

"Wanna guide yourself?" he whispered huskily, a wild gleam in his eyes.

Krycek didn't say a word, but he reached behind Mulder to take hold of his own cock and hold it steady against Mulder's ass. Mulder smiled again and pressed down, gasping as his body yielded to the pressure and the head passed the still tight ring of muscle.

Alex groaned loudly, and his head lolled back as he felt the incredible tightness of Mulder's body surrounding him, slowly taking in more of him until an endless time later he was completely sheathed. He tossed his head from side to side, moaning, his hips thrusting involuntarily as he sought to go deeper still.

"Yesss," Mulder moaned. "Oh shit, you feel good." He met Krycek's every thrust, urging him to go faster, harder, knowing he would be sore as hell later but not caring. It had been too long since he'd felt this, and he'd wanted this man for years.

Alex was moving almost on autopilot. He couldn't believe that he was fucking a man and especially not Fox Mulder. He couldn't deny the incredible sensations racing through his body, however. No woman had ever felt like this. His eyes, which had closed when Mulder took him inside, fluttered open. He groaned at the sight that met his eyes, Mulder riding him, ecstasy on his face, that pouty lower lip caught between his teeth as he tried to make this last as long as possible.

Sunlight glinting off the nipple ring caught Alex's attention. He unclenched his fists from the sheets and reached up to flick it. Mulder's eyes abruptly focused on his, and he groaned Krycek's name as he squirmed, his rhythm abruptly broken. Alex liked the sound and this time tugged firmly, then again, smiling when Mulder gasped. It was Alex's turn to cry out when Mulder's ass clenched around him, a long, keening moan of incredible pleasure.

Alex shifted his hands to Mulder's hips, clutching them hard enough to bruise as he thrust up into that incredibly tight heat. Mulder met every thrust, speeding his own movements. He stiffened, his back arching, and a deep moan escaped him as he climaxed, shooting a warm gush of fluid over Alex's belly. Krycek screamed as he felt Mulder spasm around him, tearing his own orgasm from him.

After a moment Mulder climbed off him and stretched out on his side beside him. Krycek watched him curiously, wondering what effect this would have on their interactions, but all Mulder did was swirl a finger lazily through the small pool of his semen puddled in Alex's navel.

Krycek had no idea what he was supposed to do. He had no idea whether he was still Mulder's prisoner, whether this would change Mulder's attitude toward him, whether it would ever happen again, whether Mulder would suddenly return to trying to beat him up for his many perceived sins. He didn't know much of anything, in fact, and he didn't like the uncertainty. In his line of work, lack of knowledge could kill, and when Mulder was involved, that just made it more dangerous.

"Mulder?" he asked hesitantly.

"Hmmm?" Mulder seemed more interested in the patterns he was drawing on Alex's belly.

"What just happened here?"

That surprised a laugh out of Mulder. "If you don't know, we really need to have a little talk about the birds and the bees."

Krycek growled at him. "Be serious."

"We fucked, Krycek. What the hell do you think happened?"

Alex winced slightly. "Why?"

Mulder looked at him like he was nuts. "Have you looked in a mirror lately?"

"Damn it, I said be serious!"

"I am! You're fucking gorgeous, and I've wanted you for years. So now I scratched the itch."

Alex pulled away, rolling over to get out of bed.

"Hey, where do you think you're going? I'm not finished with you," Mulder said with an audible leer.

Alex refused to turn around, his shoulders and back stiff, his posture screaming rejection.

Mulder tugged at one arm, trying to pull him around. "Krycek..."

"Jesus Christ, we just _fucked_ and you can't even bring yourself to call me by my name!" Alex laughed bitterly. "Why did I expect anything different?" His voice cracked on the last word, and he abruptly stopped talking.

Mulder froze. That sounded like honest pain in Krycek's voice, but it couldn't be. Krycek was an emotionless rat bastard who killed and used people without a care. How could he be affected by anything Mulder did? That would make him...human. Mulder groaned silently. How could he have allowed himself to get so caught up in his desire for vengeance that he forgot the simple fact that Krycek was still a human being? Suddenly, he felt ashamed of how he had used the other man. And he _had_ used him. He'd been pretty sure from his reactions that he'd never been involved with a man before, and he'd just barreled on in, determined to get what he wanted, regardless of how it would affect Alex.

 _Alex._ He hadn't allowed himself to think of the other man as Alex since the day he'd found the Morley butts in his car. Alex was the sweet, sexy man he had been starting to trust and had been attracted to, maybe falling in love with. Krycek was his enemy. He hadn't dared let the two come together in his mind because he'd known that if he did, he wouldn't be able to hate him. But how could he love the man who killed his father, who hurt Scully?

He couldn't.

Mulder allowed his hand to fall back to the bed, and Krycek got up, still facing away from him. He picked up and shrugged into the robe he'd been wearing and started toward the door. He hadn't taken more than two steps when the sound of metal clanking together stopped him in his tracks.

Krycek's head lowered and his shoulders slumped, then he came back toward Mulder and held his wrists out, not looking up even once while he was again handcuffed. He let out a faint, bitter laugh as he stared at the metal bonds, then turned away and walked out of the room.

Mulder stared after him, cursing himself for giving in to his attraction to the man. Now that he knew what he was missing, it was going to be twice as hard to stay away. He could still feel Krycek inside him, taste him, and he wanted more. Then again, why not? Like he'd said, it was only fucking. Why not have Krycek until he'd had enough?

Mulder sighed. He knew damned well that no matter how hard he tried to hate Krycek, he could never do that to anyone, not even him. Maybe especially not him. Not to mention that Krycek himself would probably have a few objections to the plan. He flopped back on the bed, staring at the ceiling, and he wondered if Krycek had already removed the cuffs and taken off for parts unknown. Somehow, he couldn't bring himself to care enough to move and go find out.

So he was really surprised about an hour later when the door opened and Krycek told him that dinner was ready. He just stared at the other man with his mouth hanging open.

"What?" Krycek snapped defensively. "The way you cook, it's in my best interest to do the cooking."

Mulder blinked. "You're still here."

Krycek stared at him. "I'm wearing a bathrobe and handcuffs. Where did you think I was going to go?"

Mulder just looked at him. "Gimme a break, Krycek. You wander in and out of top secret installations, and you expect me to believe that you can't pick the lock on a set of handcuffs?"

"Why the fuck do you _think_ I spent a night and a day cuffed to the railing on Skinner's balcony?!"

"Oh. You really can't?"

"No!" Alex stormed back downstairs, muttering under his breath in Russian, and Mulder followed, a silly grin on his face.

Mulder settled down at the kitchen table, inspecting the food set out there, and he poked at each dish and mumbled under his breath until Alex was ready to stab him with a fork.

"Would you just eat something already!" he nearly yelled, glaring at the blandly smiling FBI agent.

"Well, you see, the thing is..." he trailed off.

"What?" Alex shrieked.

"I don't really like sour cream, and you've got it over everything."

Alex stared at him. "You don't like sour cream," he repeated. "Of course, that would be why _you_ bought it, right? Everyone buys things that they don't like."

Mulder shrugged. "The clerk told me it went with the noodles or something. It was easier just to take it."

Alex's mouth opened and closed a few times, but nothing came out. Finally, Krycek very calmly stood up, picked up the dish of boeuf bourgignon, and dumped it over Mulder's head. He watched a noodle unravel along Mulder's nose and fall to the table with a small plop with great satisfaction. "There," he announced calmly. "Now you don't have to eat it."

Mulder sat utterly motionless, feeling the chunks of beef, mushrooms, pasta and sauce drip off his head and splatter on the table and floor. He nearly went cross-eyed watching one mushroom slice follow the path of the noodle that had so fascinated Krycek down his nose. It hung at the tip for a moment before dropping down to land on the table with a splat. Mulder raised his eyes slowly, focusing on Krycek, who stared back coolly.

"Why did you do that?" he asked in an eerily calm voice.

"Because you deserved it!" Alex snapped. Then he sighed. "I just wish I had served myself before I did. I'm hungry."

Mulder sprang up from his seat in a total rage. "You sonofabitch! I'm going to make you eat this shit!!" He lunged for Alex, his hands reaching for the other man's throat.

Alex was easily able to sidestep the enraged man's grip, and he watched with faint amusement as Mulder overbalanced and fell on his face. Mulder just lay there for a moment, taking deep breaths as he tried to calm himself.

 _Okay, Mulder, get a grip. The man had cause. You fucked him, basically told him it didn't mean anything; he cooked your dinner anyhow, and then you told him you didn't like it. If the tables had been turned, you'd have decked him. Or shot him._ Mulder sighed.

Somehow, understanding didn't make him feel any better. He really wanted to strangle the smug little bastard. He should have just shot him rather than bringing him here. This couldn't possibly end well. He sighed again and pushed himself up to his hands and knees, shaking his head to get rid of as much of the food as he could. Finally, he stood up, knowing that he had to look ridiculous.

He glanced over his shoulder, only to find that Krycek wasn't paying him the slightest bit of attention. Instead, he was rummaging in the fridge, apparently looking for something to eat. Mulder sighed yet again, absently thinking that he was going to start hyperventilating if this kept up, and stomped out of the kitchen toward the shower. He considered forcing Krycek to come with him, but he didn't have the heart. The man probably was hungry. Aside from that omelet this morning, he hadn't eaten since Mulder brought him here the previous day.

Clean, wearing a pair of boxers, and in a much better humor, Mulder reappeared in the kitchen fifteen minutes later. Krycek very conspicuously did not look up when he came in but kept his face buried in a book as he continued eating a grilled ham and cheese sandwich. Mulder eyed it and decided that even he could recreate that.

A few minutes later, smoke was billowing, Mulder was swearing, and Krycek put his book down with a sigh. He turned around, looked at the cinders stuck to the frying pan that Mulder was brandishing, and shook his head. "You've never made a grilled cheese sandwich?" he demanded in disbelief. "You have to butter the outside of the sandwich before you fry it, Mulder, otherwise it just burns. And you can't let the cheese overlap the bread or it melts and sticks to the pan and also burns."

"I can see that!" Mulder snapped peevishly, embarrassed at his lack of skill in the kitchen.

"God! Go sit down and I'll make it for you. If I let you try again, you may burn the house down around us." Alex wasn't pleased to find himself making Mulder's dinner again, but it was a simple matter of self preservation.

After dinner and the cleanup was finished, a task that took much longer than usual thanks the half-dried mess of noodles on the kitchen floor since Alex had refused to clean it up while Mulder was in the shower, the two men settled in the living room with books, both reading and trying to ignore the other's presence. Eventually Mulder started yawning, and he put the book down and stood up.

"Come on, Krycek. Time for bed."

Alex glared at him. "I'm not tired."

"Too bad, I am. Up." Mulder waited patiently, immovably, and Krycek stood up, grumbling.

"Why the hell do I have to go to bed just because you're tired?"

"Because you're the prisoner, and I'm in charge," Mulder said sweetly, making Alex want to hit him.

He balked when they reached the bed. "No way, Mulder, not again! I'm not your fucking whore!"

"Contrary to popular belief, Krycek, you're not irresistible. I have no intention of fucking you again. Once was enough," Mulder added cruelly, feeling a hint of satisfaction when Krycek blanched. "But I thought you might like to get the cuffs off one wrist for a few hours."

Krycek was annoyed with himself at how quickly he subsided with that as an incentive, lying down on the edge of the bed. Mulder knelt beside him and unfastened the right bracelet, then shocked him by fastening it to his own left wrist.

"No!" Krycek howled, tugging frantically at the handcuffs, wrenching a yelp of pain from Mulder.

"Stop that!" Mulder snapped. "There's no way I'm leaving you loose, Krycek, so just shut up and go to sleep." He lay down behind Alex, several inches between them and his cuffed wrist resting lightly on Krycek's waist.

Alex didn't expect to get any sleep that night, but he surprised himself by dropping off almost immediately. Even more surprisingly, he woke up the next morning to find himself spooned up against Mulder, held snugly in the cradle of the other man's body, his own arm holding Mulder's around him. He prayed that he would be able to disentangle himself before Mulder woke up, but the soft monotone disabused him of that notion.

"You're a lot friendlier asleep, Krycek."

He stiffened, prepared to pull away, but Mulder grabbed his shoulder and rolled him onto his back, then covered his mouth with his own. Surprise held him still for an instant, then his lips parted to let Mulder's tongue inside, wanting him there, wanting this kiss more than he could admit.

Mulder deepened the kiss, drawing a response from Krycek, but he forced himself not to touch him in any other way. After a moment, he raised his head, waiting until dazed green eyes opened, then said good morning softly.

Alex just stared at him, licking his lips, and Mulder dragged his gaze away. He twisted around to reach the nightstand drawer and pulled out the key to the handcuffs, unlocking himself. He reached for Alex's wrist, and the other man flinched away, limpid eyes focusing on his.

"Please, Mulder, no more," he begged, unconsciously rubbing the bruises on his wrist. Mulder eyed the marks uncomfortably, but he certainly wasn't going to leave Krycek loose. At least the cuffs gave the man more freedom than being tied to a chair.

"Look, I swear, I won't try anything or try to get away; just don't cuff me anymore. I swear I won't do anything," Alex pleaded.

Mulder laughed harshly. "I'm supposed to take the word of a traitor and murderer?"

Alex winced. "No matter what I've done, Mulder, I've _never_ broken my word."

Mulder started to sneer, then hesitated. Somehow, he felt that this mattered. And when he thought back over the years, he remembered that Krycek had never given his word or made any promises, not even as a joke. Maybe his word did mean something to him. He stared at Alex, who stared back silently. "I must be insane," Mulder said slowly, "but okay. I'm going to believe you. I guess it's up to you to prove me right or wrong." He unfastened the remaining handcuff and tossed the set on the nightstand, then stood up and walked into the bathroom.

Krycek stared after him for a long moment, then turned to look at the handcuffs lying beside the bed like a silent accusation. Although he had desperately wanted to be free of the restraints, he'd never expected Mulder to take his word. Somehow he felt he owed the agent something now, which was absurd considering that Mulder had kidnapped him. He slowly got out of bed and followed Mulder into the bathroom, shedding his robe as he went.

Once inside the room, he hesitated, watching Mulder through the shower curtain. He took a deep breath and pulled the curtain back to step inside, head lowered against the water.

Mulder whirled around in surprise when he felt the cold draft as the curtain was pulled aside and nearly fell over when he found Krycek behind him.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" he exclaimed.

Without replying or looking up, Krycek reached out and placed his hand on Mulder's chest. He paused for a second, then gradually drew it downward, stroking over Mulder's belly. Mulder gaped at him momentarily, then grabbed his wrist in a steely grip, halting the motion.

"I don't expect you to prostitute yourself whenever I decide to believe you," he gritted out.

Startled green eyes flashed up, then fell away from the furious hazel glare. "I... I thought you wanted...." He couldn't finish.

"I don't want someone who's with me because he thinks he _owes_ it to me!" Mulder nearly tore the curtain off the rod as he yanked it out of his way and stormed out of the room.

Alex was left staring after him once again, a tiny smile tentatively blooming on his face. He finished his shower and went back to the bedroom, which Mulder had already left, as he expected. Alex pawed through Mulder's bag, finding a pair of jeans that should fit him, and pulled them on. He very carefully zipped them up, taking care not to catch anything in the zipper, and sauntered downstairs in search of Mulder.

He found the other man sitting in an armchair in the living room, firmly shielded behind a book and refusing to look up. Alex went into the kitchen and scraped together a breakfast, wondering how Mulder intended to survive three weeks with only this little bit of food. He set the food on the table and stuck his head into the living room to tell Mulder that it was ready.

Mulder wandered in a moment later and sat down at the table, eyeing the meal warily. He looked up at Krycek, opened his mouth, noticed the way the younger man's fingers were curled around the rim of his bowl of oatmeal, and decided not to voice whatever comments he might have had about the meal selection. He reluctantly brought a spoonful to his mouth, screwing his face up as he swallowed. Alex nearly mentioned Mulder's astounding resemblance to a cranky infant but managed to refrain. Mulder's expression underwent an amazing transformation when he realized what his taste buds were telling him; it was _good_.

He stared into his bowl, making sure elves hadn't suddenly switched it while his attention was turned, then stared at Alex. "It's good," he intoned in astonishment.

Alex had to laugh despite his annoyance. "Maybe next time you'll try something rather than deciding you don't like it beforehand. Most people manage that by the time they're about five." He couldn't resist that dig.

Mulder pouted at him.

Alex stared at that protruding lower lip, and he remembered how it felt against his own mouth, on his body. His respiration increased, and he had to moisten suddenly dry lips.

Mulder noticed Krycek's reaction, and he realized that he was making progress, despite that stunt in the shower. He would have the man eating out his hand before he was done.

~*~*~

Days passed, with each man advancing and retreating, neither knowing what the other would do from one minute to the next. They managed a relatively peaceful trip to the grocery store for supplies, so they were in no danger of starving. The days were tense as Mulder questioned Alex about the Consortium's plans and Alex adamantly refused to tell him anything.

Finally, one day, Mulder pushed Alex past the breaking point. "What do you want me to say, Mulder?" he screamed. "Do you want me to tell you that I killed your father? Well, I did! I got orders to kill Bill Mulder, so I broke into his house, hid in the shower, and shot him when he came into the room. And you know what? It would have been harder if you hadn't gone to see him. He was a paranoid sonofabitch - just like his son! - but he was distracted enough by your appearance that I was able to get inside without him noticing."

"You bastard!" Mulder lunged over the table, knocking Krycek out of his chair and onto the floor. He landed on top of Alex and started to shake him, banging his head against the floor.

"That's right, Mulder," Krycek yelled, tears of pain and reaction running down his face, ignored by both men. "I killed your father! He was about to tell you everything you wanted to know, everything the old men don't want you to know, _can't_ let you know-" He broke off abruptly, appalled by what he'd let slip.

Mulder froze, his hands still gripping Krycek's shoulders but no longer shaking him. He slowly processed those last words. He stared down into frightened eyes for a brief moment before they shut firmly, hiding Krycek's thoughts. "Why did you care?" he asked quietly.

Krycek lay silently, refusing to answer.

"Why stop him from telling what I wanted to know?" Mulder kept prodding, needing to hear the answer.

Krycek finally spoke, eyes still stubbornly closed. "They would have killed you. They would have made _me_ kill you." Tears continued to leak unacknowledged from beneath firmly shut lids.

Mulder relaxed slightly. "Again, why would you care? You said it yourself: you do as you're told."

"I couldn't do it, okay!" Krycek yelled, anguished eyes flying open. "I couldn't have killed you, and your father was going to make that inevitable, so I killed him! Are you happy now?" He turned his head away, a single, strangled sob escaping him.

"No, I'm not happy now," Mulder said gently, "but I think we both will be."

Alex's eyes flew to his, pained, wary, but filled with dawning hope. "Mulder?"

Mulder's head lowered, and he covered Alex's lips with his own. This kiss was different from the others they'd shared, both softer and wilder, expressing emotions neither could yet find the words for. Alex's legs parted, letting Mulder settle comfortably between them, and their pelvises aligned, hardening flesh pressing against hardening flesh.

Alex moaned faintly, and Mulder hesitated, pulling back slightly. One of Krycek's hands slid around to the back of his head, fingers combing through his hair, to pull him closer again. Reassured, Mulder drew his tongue along the length of Alex's jaw, only to pause again when he tasted the salt of Alex's tears.

Mulder traced the visible trail along one cheek with a finger, then met Alex's gaze solemnly. "Never again," he promised and was rewarded with a smile of astounding sweetness and beauty.

"Alex," he murmured softly, lovingly, and this time Alex kissed him. Mulder's tongue stroked teasingly over the welcome invader, and Alex accepted the invitation to explore more thoroughly. As he did, his hips rose unconsciously, seeking to get closer to the heated hardness pressing against him. Mulder groaned and stood up abruptly, leaving Alex to stare up at him in bewildered dismay.

Mulder reached down a hand to help him to his feet. "Come on. I refuse to make love to you on the kitchen floor when we have a perfectly good bed upstairs."

Alex held onto his hand once he was on his feet. "I didn't expect you to be so straitlaced," he teased gently.

Mulder chuckled. "Later I'll be more than happy to fuck you on, over, against and through every surface in the house, but right now, I want you in a bed."

Alex gasped. Hot green eyes licked over Mulder, then he almost dragged the older man to the bedroom. As soon as he stepped through the door, Alex stripped off his jeans and threw himself down on the bed.

Mulder paused to admire the sight of Alex sprawled naked on the rumpled, white, cotton sheets. "You're so beautiful," he murmured softly and was surprised to see a faint blush wash over Alex's face. "Get used to it," he laughed. "I plan to tell you that frequently over the next fifty years."

Alex's eyes shot to his face. He stared at Mulder, afraid to believe.

"I mean it," Mulder said quietly, understanding Alex's caution. "That is, if _you_ are willing to put up with me for that long."

Alex sighed. "How can I believe you, Mulder? You've been messing with my mind for days, blowing hot and cold, fucking me then treating me like shit. How can I ever know that you're telling me the truth?"

Mulder winced. "I know you have no reason to and every reason in the world to disbelieve me, but I'm telling you the truth. I love you, Alex. I think I always have."

Alex snorted. "You have a damn funny way of showing it then."

"You killed my father, Alex! I didn't know that you were trying to protect me; all I knew was that my father was dead and you were responsible. What else could I do? I couldn't love my father's murderer!"

Alex sighed, sitting up with his arms wrapped around his knees. "That hasn't changed."

"But it has. I know now that you thought you were protecting me." Mulder looked away unhappily. "And you probably were. You probably saved my life, something that doesn't seem to have overly concerned my father. Please, Alex," he met his eyes pleadingly, "give me a chance to prove it to you."

Alex stared back, so tense faint tremors wracked his body. If he said no, he'd be giving up something that he'd never even been able to admit to himself that he wanted. If he said yes, though, and Mulder was playing him, he didn't think there would be much left of him. He chewed his lip uncertainly, unaware of Mulder's eyes riveted on his teeth worrying at the soft flesh. He looked at Mulder, his eyes tracing the lanky length of his body, and he knew no matter what the outcome, he couldn't refuse this chance. He held out a hand, and Mulder took it gratefully, sinking down onto the bed beside him.

Another long kiss and they were writhing together, bodies entwined as they rolled on the bed, first one then the other on top. Hands traced along torsos, exploring sensitive areas, mouths licked and sucked, tongues tasted, teeth nipped, hearts pounded, and touching soon was not enough. Mulder reached for the lube on the nightstand and squeezed some out onto his hand. When he started to reach around behind to prepare himself though, Alex stopped him with a hand on his wrist.

Mulder's eyes met his anxiously, afraid Alex still didn't believe him. He was stunned when Alex drew his hand down between his legs and pushed it toward his ass. He couldn't believe Alex meant what he thought he did until Alex laughed softly and raised his legs to prop his ankles on Mulder's shoulders. "I want you, Mulder," he whispered, slightly flushed from embarrassment at his brazenly exposed position.

Mulder groaned, his cock throbbing, nearly aroused enough to come just by the sight of Alex offering himself so trustingly. He softly stroked one gel-coated finger over the tight ring of muscle, determined to make this perfect for Alex, not doing more until Alex whimpered and pushed back, needing something, he didn't know what.

"Slowly, Alex. We have all the time in the world," he soothed, his tongue softly caressing Alex's balls, making the man shudder beneath him.

" _Do_ something, Mulder!" Alex wailed, his whole body quivering with sexual tension.

"Soon, babe. I'll give you everything you want," Mulder promised, applying more gel to his middle finger and slowly pressing against Alex until it slid inside. He pushed inside slowly, easily going to the second knuckle, then pulling back to repeat the motion. Alex moaned with pleasure, his ass clamping down on Mulder's finger as he shivered then pushed back hard.

Mulder chuckled and pulled his finger back as Alex moaned in protest, then gasped when the finger returned accompanied by another. Mulder slowly stretched him, sliding in and out, twisting his fingers, and Alex suddenly yelped when Mulder stroked across his prostate. His whole body arched off the bed, and his eyes flew open, fixing on Mulder.

"Like that?" Mulder purred, doing it again, and Alex's eyes shut, and he gave control of his body to Mulder. When Mulder's mouth closed over his cock while his fingers continued their play in his ass, Alex thought the top of his head was going to blow off. He screamed Mulder's name as his semen flooded Mulder's mouth, every drop swallowed with enjoyment. He lay limply under his lover, overwhelmed by the explosive climax, but he started to come back to life when Mulder kissed him, the sharp tang of his seed still in his mouth.

Alex licked feverishly at the inside of Mulder's mouth, tasting himself, and he felt himself stir. He cooperated eagerly when Mulder rolled him onto his belly and urged him up onto all fours, knowing what was coming. He spread his legs wantonly, arching his back and offering himself to Mulder, wanting him desperately. When he felt the heat of Mulder's cock pressing against his ass, Alex moaned and pushed back, anxious to feel him deep inside.

Mulder held Alex's hips to prevent him from forcing this to move too quickly. Despite Alex's eagerness, he'd never done this before, and Mulder didn't want to hurt him. He paused at Alex's sharp inhalation when the head slipped inside him, waiting until Alex pressed back again before pushing deeper inside him. He advanced slowly, fractions of an inch at a time, until his entire length was buried inside Alex and his balls were pressed against his ass. He reached around to Alex's front, stroking the soft cock until it stirred, filling and growing, then started to move.

Alex gasped, stunned by the sensation of being filled, stretched at the same time as Mulder's hand pumped his cock. When Mulder began to thrust harder, bumping against his prostate, the added sensation was beyond belief. He was being overwhelmed with pleasure, surrounded by the smell and feel of Mulder. He grunted with every thrust and whimpered with every withdrawal, wanting Mulder to go deeper and deeper, feeling owned yet somehow like Mulder belonged to him now.

They moved together desperately, Alex's hands clenched in the sheet and Mulder's digging into his hips, eyes closed, aware of nothing but each other. Mulder suddenly groaned and drove in as deeply as possible, burying his face against the side of Alex's throat as he came. As he did, he gasped, "I love you."

Hearing that pushed Alex over the edge, and he yelled, "Fox!" A warm gush of fluid covered Mulder's hand and he continued to stroke Alex, drawing every last shiver of sensation from him. When Alex sagged limply beneath him, he carefully lowered them, twisting so they ended up spooned together on their sides, Mulder still inside Alex. He knew he should pull out, but he was loath to give up this closeness so quickly, and Alex seemed to feel the same, judging by his tight grip on Mulder's hip, holding him close.

Mulder cleaned Alex up somewhat with a corner of the sheet, then simply held him. He smiled when Alex's arm covered his, holding it close to his chest. "I really do love you," he repeated.

Alex tensed briefly then relaxed. "I love you too," he replied sleepily, already dozing off.

~*~*~

"...And that's how we finally got together after all the mistakes we'd made over the years," Mulder finished. As he came to the end of his story, Sin looked down at Alex. He was nestled in Fox's arms, his head pillowed on his lover's chest, a smile on his face. He looked perfectly content with the decision he'd made to be with Fox. He grinned back at her.

"So, now that you know my story, what about yours?" he demanded curiously.

Sin sighed, but turnabout was fair play. "It's not nearly as interesting or dramatic as yours," she warned. "It was about three months after you'd disappeared that last time, and I was in DC trying to track down an arms dealer, when I first ran into Fox..."

~*~*~

"Ms Soldat!"

Sin sighed, her attempt to get out of the building on time for lunch foiled by the extremely annoying woman who was her supervisor. She pasted a dutiful smile on her face, squared her shoulders, and turned to face the woman. "Yes, Mrs. Wilkins?" she asked sweetly.

"Where exactly do you think you're going? Mr. Hardy needs that brief by 2:00, and you're nowhere near done." The woman glared at her accusingly.

Sin had had it. She'd been in DC for over a month, dealing with this battle-axe, and she hadn't found the slightest sign of the arms dealer she was after. Besides which, she was hungry! "Nor will it _get_ done, Mrs. Wilkins, if I faint from hunger! It is well after 12:00, and I have been here since 7:00 without so much as a cup of coffee. I am going for lunch now, and so help me, if you try to stop me, I'll report you to... to whatever agency deals with slave labor!" Sin glared at her, a feeling of satisfaction coming over her when she saw the woman's jaw drop, and stormed out of the office.

She stopped at a hotdog vendor's and bought herself a chili dog, then headed over to the Mall to get some sun until she had to go back to that hellhole. She made a mental note to look into buying the company once her assignment was over, just so she could have the satisfaction of firing Mrs. Wilkins. She had a new appreciation for the people who had to work for slave drivers like her.

She was so busy plotting various forms of vengeance on the harridan that she wasn't paying attention to her lunch until a voice startled her into looking up.

"You're about to pour that chili all over yourself," the voice said, and Sin glanced down in time to see that he was right and adjust her grip. She peered up at the dark figure silhouetted against the sun behind him, raising a hand to shade her eyes. As she squinted up at him, the man seemed to realize her difficulty and sat down beside her, where she could get a good look at him.

Sin was startled to find herself looking at a very attractive man in his mid to late thirties, well dressed, yet with a truly hideous tie. She smiled at him, suddenly feeling that the day was starting to look up.

"Thanks for saving me from a fate worse than death," she grinned, and the man grinned back.

"How do you figure?"

"Well, if I _had_ poured it over myself, first off, I wouldn't have gotten to eat it, which I really want and need to do," she punctuated her statement by taking a bite of her neglected dog. "Secondly, if I had desecrated the hallowed halls of Hardy and Sons with a stained suit, I'd have had to listen to a lecture worse than anything an _army_ of Jewish mamas could prepare."

He laughed delightedly. "Don't be too sure. You'd be amazed what _one_ Jewish mother can accomplish. I'm Mulder, by the way," he added, offering his hand.

"Tamsin Soldat," she replied. "Just Mulder?" she asked as she shook his hand.

"Unfortunately not. It's Fox Mulder," he explained in response to her puzzled look, "but only my mother calls me that, thank God."

Sin laughed. "Okay, Mulder it is, then." She glanced at her watch and jumped up. "Oh hell, I'm late! Nice meeting you," she called as she raced back to the office.

"Likewise," Mulder called after her. "I have lunch here a lot if you'd be interested in meeting me sometime."

She paused in her flight. "I'd like that a lot, Mulder. See ya!" And she was gone.

Mulder stared after her for a long moment, surprised at himself. He didn't usually pick up strange women in the park, but something about her made him feel comfortable. He liked her. And if he was going to be honest, he was lonely. It had been over three months since he'd last seen Alex, and he didn't even know if he was still alive. He couldn't even talk to Scully about his unhappiness because there was no way he could tell her that Alex Krycek was his lover. He shuddered at the very idea. He couldn't be sure which of them she'd shoot first.

That was the first of Mulder and Sin's meetings but far from the last. It was the following week before they met again, Mulder having been out of town on a case, but once they did, they talked for their entire lunch hour, and Mulder invited her to have dinner with him. They'd gone out to eat and talked, Mulder telling her about his job and his search for The Truth and his sister, somehow knowing that she wouldn't mock him, and Sin told him about her job at the law office and her problems with Mrs. Wilkins. Finally they noticed that they were the last ones in the restaurant, and they left, promising to meet for lunch the next day.

Soon, they were meeting every day that Mulder was in town, sometimes both at lunch and after work, and Scully was starting to tease Mulder about his mysterious girlfriend. Mulder made no move to introduce them, though. He wanted to keep the two parts of his life separate, perhaps a holdover from needing to do that when Alex had been involved. He even found himself, if not missing Alex less, at least able to function around his unhappiness and even enjoy himself with Tammy. The only thing he hadn't told her about was Alex. He couldn't bring himself to share Alex with anyone, somehow feeling that if he did, Alex wouldn't come back. He knew it was absurd and that the likelihood was that Alex was dead after his four-month absence, but he couldn't make himself believe it.

Mulder gradually started spending all his free time with Tammy. Not only did he sincerely enjoy her company but it also kept him from staying in his apartment, waiting for the phone to ring or the door to open. When he allowed himself to think about it, Mulder wondered how Alex Krycek had become so important to him so quickly. They had been lovers for less than a year, but Mulder found it difficult to remember his life before Alex had been a part of it.

Mulder couldn't allow himself to dwell on Alex's absence, though, or he wouldn't be able to function. Fortunately, Tammy was well able to distract him. They'd been seeing each other pretty regularly for about a month when it happened that a show they wanted to see was sold out. Mulder suggested renting a video or two and watching them back at his apartment, and Sin accepted.

It was somewhere in the middle of the second movie when Mulder kissed her. Sin was initially startled, since he'd shown no sign of being interested in her sexually before that, but she responded eagerly. Mulder twisted on the couch pressing her into it as he covered her, his mouth exploring hers while their hands slowly stroked each other.

When Mulder's fingers brushed a nipple, Sin gasped, and Mulder suddenly reared back, an expression of dismay on his face. "Oh God, I'm sorry," he exclaimed. "I never meant--"

Sin placed a finger against his lips, stopping his words. "Shh, Mulder. It's okay. We're both consenting adults, and I'm not expecting any promises."

"No, you don't understand," he groaned. "I _have_ made promises. I'm in love with someone else."

Sin sighed, refusing to acknowledge a faint twinge of disappointment. "I sorta figured as much," she replied easily. Mulder looked at her in surprise, so she continued, "Not to sound vain or anything, but you never looked twice at me. I haven't gotten that reaction, or rather lack of reaction, since I hit puberty." She shrugged.

"At first I thought you might be gay, but I've seen you check out men _and_ women. So it seemed reasonable to assume that you weren't interested because you were involved with someone else." She hesitated then forged ahead. "But you spend all your time at work or with me. So I don't see where you have time to be with this mystery lover," she ended, a question clear in her voice.

Mulder sighed. "He has to travel a lot for his job. I haven't heard from him in four months. I don't even know if he's dead or alive."

"Oh, Mulder, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to poke at a something painful." Sin was sincerely apologetic.

"You couldn't have known. And I'm the one who kissed you, after all."

"Stop that! You may have started it, but it was definitely mutual." Sin glared at him, knowing from experience that men equated her small size and relative youth with innocence and needing to be protected.

Mulder backed down quickly. He'd learned early on with Scully what that tone meant and that he didn't have a hope in hell of winning against it. "Anyway, I _am_ sorry," he repeated. "Still friends?"

"Of course."

And that was the end of it... at least for that night. The problem was now that Mulder had kissed her, he found himself remembering how she tasted and wanting to do it again. Sin saw and understood the glances when he thought she wasn't looking, but she did nothing to encourage or discourage him. He had to decide if he was ready to give up on his missing lover all on his own; she had no intention of making him hate her by trying to wean him away from someone he loved, no matter how much she wanted him.

And she did want him; she always had. She'd tracked down the arms dealer she was after less than two weeks after meeting Mulder, yet she was still here. Still doing a job she hated and didn't need for people she couldn't stand, just so she could be with him. If friendship was all he could offer her, she'd take it, but she hoped for more. She was falling in love with him, if she wasn't already, and she envied the man he loved. At least it _was_ a man. If Mulder really had lost his lover, it would be a lot easier for him to start a new relationship with a woman rather than with another man, who would just seem like an inferior replacement. They continued that way for a couple of months, Mulder wondering and Sin waiting. Alex had been gone for six months now, and Mulder gave up hope. He felt he had to accept that Alex was dead. He didn't want to, but he couldn't spend the rest of his life waiting for someone who might never come. He was already doing that with Samantha, and it was eating him up inside. He couldn't live his whole life with only ghosts for companionship.

That decided, albeit reluctantly, Mulder's next difficulty was how to approach Tammy without making her feel like second best. He didn't want to lose her friendship no matter how this turned out.

For the next couple of weeks, Mulder made an effort to take Tammy to more romantic places, out to nice restaurants for dinner, to make their time together seem more like dates. She went along with it, waiting for his next move. Finally he kissed her again, and for a few minutes, his only thoughts were of her, not of Alex.

When Mulder drew back, slowly this time and his arms still around her, Sin blinked up at him. "Are you trying to tell me something, Fox? Oh!" She bit her lip nervously. "Sorry, I know you don't like the name, but I do. It's the way I think of you. I didn't mean to let it slip though."

"It's okay," Mulder replied. "I don't mind once in while."

She smiled at him.

"And to answer your question, yes. Would you give me another chance?"

She regarded him uncertainly. "I need you to spell it out for me, Fox."

"I'd like to try and make it work between us."

"And what about...him?"

Mulder looked away. "He's gone, and I'm here. I've had to accept that, and I think we could be good together. I care about you, Tammy."

Sin frowned, weighing the alternatives. Was it worth taking the chance that his lover would return and Mulder would go back to him? She might never be entirely certain of Fox. Then again, did she want to spend the rest of her life wondering what it might have been like? Besides, nothing in life was certain. Slowly, she nodded, looking into Mulder's eyes.

They both wanted to move slowly, so for the next couple of weeks, they didn't go beyond kissing and petting, gradually getting used to thinking of themselves as a couple. If sometimes Mulder found himself yearning for deeper green eyes or a body that curved in different places, he quashed those desires firmly.

For Sin's part, she was torn between wanting to be honest with Mulder and tell the truth about herself and years of self-protective instincts that urged caution. Her guise of helplessness, at least, was dropped one night when they decided to walk back to Mulder's apartment after dinner.

On their way, a couple of teenagers, armed with a gun and knives, tried to mug them. Mulder hesitated to go for his gun, afraid that Tammy would be harmed, but she reacted instinctively. The one with the gun was still demanding their valuables when she kicked the gun out of his hand, pivoting in the same motion to knock the other one back into the alley the two young men had come out of. As she turned back to the first youth to deal with him, Mulder pulled out his gun and pointed it at their would-be mugger.

"Fuck!" the boy yelped, throwing his hands up in the air. "Don't shoot me, mister! Please don't shoot me."

"And I wonder just what your response would have been if you were still the one holding a gun," Mulder mused sardonically. A look of fear appeared on the boy's face. "Yeah, that's about what I thought," he said dryly. He noticed a fleeting, sly expression, and he shifted slightly so that he would be able to see if the other one came back out of the alley.

"Come on, mister," the kid pleaded, "we weren't gonna hurt ya. You could just let me go. No hard feelings, whaddya say?"

"Gee, I don't think so," Mulder shook his head. "I'm pretty sure that releasing petty criminals unpunished to prey on other innocent passersby is nowhere in the job description I got when I joined the FBI."

"A fibbie!" the boy yelped. "Shit, Rafe, you sure can pick 'em!" he yelled toward the alley in disgust.

Sin had to turn her back to hide the laughter she was desperately trying to hold in. This had to be the silliest excuse for a mugging attempt that she'd ever seen. She took a deep breath to steady her voice, then turned back, pulling out her cell phone. "Just keep him there, Mulder, and keep an eye out for the other one. I'll call the cops to come get him."

Mulder nodded, and not too much later, the kid had been arrested, their statements taken, and they were on their way home again. Mulder eyed Tammy curiously as they walked, finally unable to bear his curiosity any longer. "You reacted awfully quickly to those muggers, not even a second's hesitation."

Sin shrugged, hiding her unease. "Martial arts training. I'm a sixth degree blackbelt in three different disciplines. I just reacted. I didn't have time to get scared." She hoped that would satisfy him.

Mulder looked even more surprised. "No offense, Tammy, but that sounds more like something out of a bad movie than reality. You're not old enough to have reached that level. _Maybe_ in _one_ of the martial arts, but three?" He looked a little hurt. "I thought you would tell me the truth, not make something up."

"Fox! I am _not_ lying to you. My parents, well, my whole family really, were determined that all of their children were going to be able to protect themselves in any situation, so they started us on lessons very young. I happen to be very good at that sort of thing... which also seems to run in the family. I have a cousin who was an Olympic caliber gymnast too." She frowned up at him.

"I don't much like it though that you immediately assume I'm lying or at best exaggerating rather than believing me when I tell you something. You really do think I'm just some immature kid, don't you?" She stepped back slightly. "This is a mistake. It's bad enough that I'm a poor second choice, but you're not even really seeing me. I can't do this." She continued to back away until Mulder caught hold of her arm and stopped her.

"Damn it, Tammy, gimme a break! How can you expect me to believe that? Even you must admit that it sounds ludicrous, like someone trying to make themselves sound like something they're not. If someone said that to you, would you believe them just like that, with no substantiation?" Mulder tried to make her see sense, while avoiding anything to do with her other accusation.

"I'd believe _you_ ," she responded with quiet dignity, and Mulder flinched.

"Tammy..." he floundered, not knowing what to say.

"Don't bother, Mulder. There's really nothing you can say. I gambled and lost." She shrugged. "No one to blame but myself."

"Damnit, Tammy, don't make this into something it's not!" Mulder snapped. "So I didn't believe you. I'm _sorry_ , all right? I still say it sounds pretty unbelievable, but that has nothing to do with _us_. If you're looking for an excuse to walk away, just do it; don't play games and try to make out that it's my fault for not believing you.

"Fuck, I know better than anyone what it's like to have the people you care about not believe in you, but that's no excuse to give up on 'em. Damnit, I care about you, and I'm not going to let you just walk away!" He grabbed her and pulled her into his arms, his mouth fastening over hers ravenously.

Sin moaned... in protest or pleasure, even she couldn't have said. This was more passion than Fox had shown her before now, and she was reveling in it despite herself. Mulder's hands were moving over her body, sliding up beneath her top to tease at rigid nipples. Fox traced one hand down her belly to the swell of her mound, a single finger sliding beneath the lacy underwear to probe between the slick folds teasingly. The hand only remained there for a moment before continuing over her hip and down to her thigh, which he grasped and pulled up around his waist, pressing their groins together.

The difference in their heights frustrated Mulder, and he shifted both hands to her ass, raising her. Sin wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck as they continued to feed on one another's mouths. Mulder staggered the few steps into an alley between the buildings, going just far enough inside to be out of the light from the street and slamming her back against the brick wall. He tore feverishly at her panties, ripping them off her and shoving inside her. He was beyond finesse, simply aware of wanting her, but she was in no better state and growled her pleasure as he filled her.

Mulder hands bruised her buttocks with their grip, and her back was being scraped raw through the silk of her blouse, while Sin's nails tore at his shoulders, leaving bloody furrows in his flesh. They came together animalistically, snarling wordlessly, their bodies slamming together brutally. Mulder came first, leaving Sin to wail in protest when he stopped moving.

After a moment his head cleared somewhat, and he moved over to some boxes that were piled nearby, propping her up on them. Mulder fell to his knees in front of her, pulling her legs over his shoulders, and moved between her thighs. His mouth closed over her, drawing a howl from her, and he tasted his seed mixed with her wetness. She was so close that it only took moments, a few swipes of his tongue, and she groaned loudly and shuddered as she came. Mulder continued, licking their combined fluids away and teasing her sensitive flesh as she whimpered, twisting in his hands, until she came a second time. Only then did he sit back on his haunches, panting, and smirk at her.

Too sated to hit him for that self-satisfied expression, Sin contented herself with sticking her tongue out at him. "This hasn't solved anything, you know, Mulder," she said unhappily.

"Maybe not, but it's proved that we have something between us."

"Sex, Mulder. That's no basis for a relationship," Sin snapped.

Mulder looked at her directly, without evasion. "No, but you know that's not all it is. Give me a chance, Tammy," he pleaded, unable to say more but his eyes telling her that he cared.

Sin wasn't proof against the pitiful expression in those hazel eyes, still green with recent passion, and she nodded. She agreed to give the relationship a chance, praying that she would survive it, and went home with him that night.

~*~*~

"...And two weeks later you came back, Alex," she finished. "Now do you understand why I said that I knew I'd lose to you if it came to it?"

Alex didn't reply in words. Instead, he pushed out of Mulder's embrace where he'd been lying as he listened to Sin's story and pulled her into his arms. He held her tightly to him, his cheek resting on her hair as he wrapped himself around her. "But nobody lost, baby. I love you, Sin. We both do. I wouldn't want to lose you any more than Fox. We're... oh God, I don't believe how sappy this sounds!" he groaned, "we're a family."

Sin had to chuckle. "That must have hurt."

"You have no idea," Alex agreed with heartfelt fervor. Still holding onto her, he twisted so they both lay on top of Fox, who had no objections. Mulder hugged both of them to him, squirming until one was on either side of him, half on top of him.

"Hey!" Alex objected mildly. "How come you get the middle again?"

Mulder just pouted at him, and Alex sighed. "That is _so_ unfair."

Sin snickered, getting an injured look from Alex in response. "Sorry, Alex, but you're about as strong as soggy toast when he pouts at you."

"Like you do so much better!"

"Well, no," she admitted with a grin. "But on me it just looks vapidly feminine. On you, it's downright silly."

"Gee thanks!"

"Anytime."

Alex pretended to smother her with a pillow while she laughed at him.

"Hey, watch it! I'm under you, ya know!" Mulder yelped. "I bruise easily."

That turned both of them on him, mouths fastening onto him with the express intention of leaving bruises, and he definitely wasn't objecting. As he writhed and moaned under their attentions, a shadow lingering on the other side of the drawn curtain attracted his attention. When Alex and Sin sat up to admire their efforts, he nodded weakly toward the curtain.

"It's kind of unfair of us to leave it closed after those other people gave up this alcove so they could watch us, don't you think?" he panted, his hips still moving involuntarily.

A tiny smile curved Alex's lips. "Why don't you just admit that you get off on people watching you, Fox? I never knew what an exhibitionist you were."

"Watching _us_ ," Mulder corrected.

"Of course, baby," Alex cooed, getting a pillow in the face from Mulder in retaliation.

Laughing, Sin rose from the bed, shedding her clothing as she did, and walked over to open the curtain. She was momentarily startled to find several people loitering just outside, then had to restrain a laugh when she saw how their eyes darted first to the two men in the bed, then back to her. She pushed the curtain all the way open, a faint chirrup of laughter escaping her when she heard the sighs of relief. Once done, she returned to the bed, curling up beside her lovers, waiting to see what would happen next.

Mulder glanced over at the slowly growing crowd of people, then turned his attention to the two in bed with him. His hands caressed them lazily, enjoying the sensation of their skin against his. Alex turned onto his belly and braced his head on his hands, grinning down at Mulder, whose hand had immediately moved to his ass when he'd changed position.

"So, Fox, what's it gonna be? This is still your night, so you're in charge."

Mulder grinned back, his hand moving off Alex's ass to stroke lazily over his own cock while Alex watched. He chuckled when Alex's breathing grew shallower. "I want you both to take me," he whispered throatily, his eyes holding Alex's, one hand busy on his engorged cock and the other between Sin's legs.

Twin gasps answered him, along with several moans from their audience, and Mulder laughed, squirming on the bed between them. Alex and Sin rose to kneel at his sides, watching him perform for them, and both of them had to clench their fists at their sides to prevent themselves from pouncing on him. Mulder was writhing lewdly, one hand scratching at his nipples and the other having abandoned his cock to push inside himself.

Watching him, something from Mulder's story earlier struck Sin, and she leaned toward Alex and whispered something in his ear. His shoulders shook with laughter before he replied to her equally softly, both of them still watching Fox. Sin reached up and unfastened one of her earrings, a large hoop, holding it in her hand while she leaned down and caught one of Fox's nipples between her teeth, tugging sharply.

Mulder groaned loudly, a bead of precome appearing on his cock, and she did it again. Alex bent down to do the same to the other nipple at the same time as one of his hands slipped between Mulder's thighs to cup his balls. While Mulder was distracted, Sin released his nipple, then fastened her earring through the piercing. She knew he hadn't noticed, thanks to Alex, so she hooked a finger through the loop and tugged on it.

Mulder groaned loudly, and his back arched off the bed while his legs spread even wider. Sin and Alex both laughed at that reaction.

"Guess you like that, huh, Fox?" Sin chuckled wickedly, doing it again, with much the same result.

He moaned in reply, squirming lewdly on the sheets.

"For my birthday, I want you to get your other nipple pierced," Alex whispered hotly in his ear, his tongue snaking out to trace the sensitive whorls and making Mulder whimper. "Will you do that for me, babe?"

Fox could only whine and nod his head, his hands clutching frantically at the sheets.

"My sweet baby," Alex purred, his voice like dark velvet against Mulder's nerves. "Come here." He drew Mulder to his feet beside the bed, and Fox swayed unsteadily, whimpering with arousal, then rubbed against Alex pleadingly. "Not yet, Fox. You said you wanted us to take you, and never let it be said that we don't give you what you want."

Mulder moaned desperately, realizing that Alex intended to drive him crazy. "Please, Alex, I need you now," he begged, licking at the younger man's chest, trying to tempt him to take him.

"Not nearly as much as you will," Alex laughed.

Sin's soft chuckle melded with his as she got off the bed and moved over to the chest against the back wall. Mulder watched through heavy-lidded eyes, most of his attention still on Alex until he saw what she pulled out of the chest. He shook his head desperately, trying to back away, but Alex held him in place.

"No, please," he whined frantically.

"You know you don't mean that," Sin replied with a sensual smile, reaching down and grasping his dripping cock. Mulder couldn't prevent himself from groaning with the pleasure of that touch and pushing into her hand. He moaned when he felt her slide the straps over his cock, fastening each one snugly, the final one wrapping around and separating his balls. When she finished, he was more aroused than ever, but he knew he wouldn't be able to come until they removed the straps.

Mulder moaned again and rubbed sluttishly against Alex's hip. Alex grinned at him and dropped down to take the head of his cock between his lips, lapping at it to gather up all the precome, while Mulder whimpered some more at the still more arousing sensation. Alex sucked on him like a favorite lollipop for a while, enjoying the taste of Fox in his mouth, then pushed him down on the bed.

Mulder immediately spread his legs wantonly and raised his hips slightly, offering himself to Alex. Sin curled against his side, once again nipping at a sensitized nipple while she tugged on the ring in the other. Fox writhed and moaned under her attentions, and he didn't notice Alex go over to the toychest while he was distracted.

He couldn't help but notice, however, when Alex pushed his knees up to his chest and ordered him to hold them there. He gasped softly, feeling incredibly vulnerable and open in this position, his restrained cock tight against his belly. He caught his lip between his teeth when he felt Alex cover his anus with lubricant, pushing it inside him with a finger and smoothing it over his inner walls. He moaned loudly when the finger withdrew then returned accompanied by another, and he nearly screamed when Sin bit down hard on his nipple at the same moment.

Alex chuckled and pulled his fingers out, watching Fox try to follow them. "Don't worry, baby," he soothed. "You won't be empty for long."

Fox's eyes flew open and tried to focus on him, but Alex pushed a large dildo, liberally coated with the gel, inside him, and his eyes fluttered shut again. He gasped, his chest heaving, as Alex worked the rigid length inside him, twisting it slightly, then dragging it over his prostate. His hands scrabbled at the sheets until Sin caught one and pressed it between her legs so that his fingers slid inside her. She rode his hand while Alex fucked him with the dildo, and Fox could smell the arousal on each of them.

Then Alex pressed a button on the end of the dildo, and Fox screamed as it started to vibrate. The sensation built inside him until he thought he had to come or his heart would burst, but Alex judged his tension finely, switching the vibrator off when it was about to become too much for him, letting him calm slightly, then building the sensation even higher. After what seemed an eternity, Alex shoved the vibrator deeply inside him and forced his legs down flat on the bed with it turned on. He sobbed wildly at the sensation throbbing deep inside him, but Alex only laughed.

"Wanna play with him, beautiful?" Alex asked Sin, who laughed.

"You had to ask?" She still held Mulder's hand between her legs, his fingers buried inside her, but now she carefully eased it free. As she was laying his hand down flat, Alex reached over and caught it, drawing it to his mouth to lick Sin's juices from his fingers, staring into Sin's eyes as he did. It was her turn to gasp, and she leaned over Mulder to kiss Alex, tasting herself on his lips.

But they were concentrating on Mulder tonight, so she pulled back and turned her attention back to the wailing man stretched across the bed. His nipples were hard and raw looking, his cock flushed scarlet and hard as steel, and he was squirming desperately as he tried to stay in the position Alex had placed him despite the vibration thrumming through his ass. She licked her lips unconsciously, watching him, then straddled him, waiting till his eyes opened a mere slit and looked at her desperately.

"Pretty Fox," she murmured. "Let me make you feel better."

Mulder howled when she sank down on him, burying his cock in her heated depths, and her muscles tightened around him.

"Mmmm," she purred, "you feel so good inside me, fill me so full." She arched her back languorously, her hands running up her body under Mulder's heated gaze. Slowly she rose a bare inch, then sank back, repeating the movement with a gradually lengthening stroke until only the very tip of his cock remained inside her at the upstroke. She continued at the same mind-shreddingly slow pace despite Mulder's pleas and increasingly incoherent babbling.

Alex reached between Mulder's legs to run a teasing finger over the base of his cock, then cupped his balls and rolled them in the palm of his hand. His thumb stroked over Mulder's perineum, and Fox arched convulsively off the bed, drawing a harsh gasp of pleasure from Sin as he was forced deeper inside her.

The sudden movement pushed her over the brink into climax. Mulder thought he'd go insane as her muscles rippled around him, milking him fruitlessly. He begged hysterically for them to let him come, but all Alex did was laugh and kiss him.

As Sin stopped moving, Alex ordered Mulder to flip them over so he was on top and to keep fucking her. Sin cried out as Fox drove into sensitized flesh, not letting her come down from one climax before driving her to another. Alex sat back to watch them for a moment, both lost in a sexual frenzy, sobbing incoherently. It wasn't long before looking wasn't enough for him, and he moved closer to join them. He made Mulder sit up on his knees, still joined to Sin, and positioned several pillows where she'd been lying. When Alex told Fox to go to his hands and knees, the pillows under her raised Sin to the perfect height beneath him. Alex ran a caressing hand over Mulder's flexing buttocks as he continued to drive into Sin, a teasing finger stroking the stretched muscle around the dildo.

Mulder shook convulsively as Alex teased him, his vision momentarily whiting out. Alex's other hand crept around to his front, flicking one rigid nipple on the way to the other, where it toyed with the ring, making Mulder howl Alex's name.

A deep shudder wracked the younger man at the sound, and his mouth fastened onto Mulder's shoulder. He sucked ferociously, marking Fox, his teeth nipping at the tense muscle while Mulder whimpered.

"You like that, Fox?" he rasped, sitting back up and releasing the ring. His hand moved between Mulder's legs to toy with his balls again, and Fox momentarily dropped on top of Sin, his arms and legs refusing to support him.

"Yes," he whimpered, moaning when Alex pulled the vibrator partway out, then pushed it back in.

"That good, baby? Is that what you want? You want me to fuck you with this?" Alex pushed it into him again for emphasis.

"You," Fox sobbed. "I wa-want _you_." His back arched as he pushed his ass back, trying to force the dildo deeper.

"You don't want this? Okay." Alex suddenly pulled the vibrator out of him, wrenching a wail of protest from Fox as he was left empty. Before the howls of dismay had faded, Alex's cock filled his ass, and Mulder groaned his pleasure.

Alex was incredibly aroused from teasing Fox, and he knew he wouldn't last long. He set a hard pace, stroking deeply into Fox, and within moments he came inside his lover's quivering ass. He kissed the back of Fox's neck as he lay slumped over the older man, recovering, then carefully withdrew and settled himself against more pillows at the head of the bed.

He noticed that Sin was on the verge of unconsciousness from the continuous orgasms, so he told Mulder he could pull out of her. Mulder curled into a fetal position, curled around the throbbing agony that was his cock, whining softly.

Alex watched him for long moments, admiring the beauty of his desperation. When his whines decreased slightly in volume, Alex spoke, directing Mulder to kneel in front of him, facing him.

Mulder obeyed slowly, forcing his tortured body into position. He'd never been this aroused, this desperate to come, and he knew that Alex wasn't done with him yet.

"Damn, you're pretty like that," Alex marveled, his eyes running possessively over Fox's shaking form. "Stroke yourself, baby. Show yourself to me. Show me what you like, and make me want you."

Mulder couldn't bear the thought of touching his aching cock, and he turned pleading hazel eyes, now thin rings of deep green around lust-widened pupils, on his tormentor. Alex simply raised his eyebrows and waited. Mulder whimpered pitifully and placed a trembling hand on his erection. As he touched himself, he bit his lip so hard a tiny trickle of blood ran down his chin.

Alex watched avidly, noting every tremble, every moan. "Mine," he murmured, satisfaction redolent in his tone. "Tell me who you belong to, Fox," he coaxed, wanting to hear it.

"You," Mulder whimpered without hesitation.

Alex smiled with pleasure and sat up, placing his palms on Fox's cheeks and kissing him tenderly. When he drew back, Alex licked the tears from Fox's face; Mulder hadn't even realized that his extreme arousal had caused them to flow involuntarily from his eyes. Alex pushed him down flat on his back and straddled him.

Mulder's eyes widened, and he shook his head in frantic denial as he realized what Alex intended. Alex only smiled and shifted so that the dripping head of Mulder's cock pressed against his opening. He'd prepared himself earlier, while Fox had been occupied with Sin, so Mulder slid in easily.

The tormented man could only sob as his aching cock was engulfed in the incredible heat and tightness of Alex's ass. He was beyond screaming as Alex rode him, aware of nothing beyond the contractions of Alex's muscles and the fervid green gaze focused on him.

After an eternity, Alex slowed to a halt with Mulder's cock buried in him to the hilt and eyed him assessingly. He pulled off and stretched out beside Fox, pulling him into his embrace and stroking his sweat-soaked hair soothingly. Finally, Mulder's trembling calmed, and Alex gently pushed him onto his back.

"Okay, Fox, I need you to stay calm now. I'm going to unstrap you now," he paused as Mulder whimpered his gratitude, "but you have to hold on, baby."

Mulder turned a look of utter disbelief on him.

"After all this, you don't want to come like that, do you?" Alex coaxed.

Mulder moaned miserably but shook his head. Slowly, with many pauses to calm Mulder, Alex removed the strapping. When he was done, Fox lay quivering with tension, his chest heaving as he gasped for air. Alex stretched out beside him and pulled his knees to his chest, opening himself, offering himself to Fox.

Mulder stared at him, motionless, for an instant, then pounced. His elbows hooked under Alex's knees to relieve him of the strain of holding himself open, and his cock was buried inside his sadistic lover in one long glide. A heartfelt groan of relief and pleasure tore free of him, and he started to come before he was all the way inside. The orgasm felt like it came from the core of his being and exploded outward through all his extremities, and for a split second he lost consciousness. An instant later he was aware again, still coming inside Alex, filling him with the release of all that pent-up arousal.

He collapsed on top of Alex, feeling Sin roll over against them, vaguely aware of the smell and sounds of their audience fucking each other and jerking off as they watched. He forced heavy eyes open, glancing over to see what looked like dozens of people screwing each other as they watched him. A tiny, smug smile curved his lips, and he nestled his head against Alex's throat. As he settled, Alex's arm came around him and stroked his back, and Sin snuggled against him.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Fox," Alex murmured sleepily, and Mulder laughed.


End file.
